Antigua and Barbuda

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

noun:

Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

adjective:

Antiguan, Barbudan

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.85 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.8 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.75 male(s)/female

total population:

0.89 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

improved:

total: 96.7% of population

unimproved:

total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)

improved:

total: 91.7% of population

unimproved:

total: 8.1% of population (2017 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Antigua and Barbuda

etymology:

• "antiguo" is Spanish for "ancient" or "old";
• the island was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and, according to tradition, named by him after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville;
• "barbuda" is Spanish for "bearded" and the adjective may refer to the alleged beards of the indigenous people or to the island's bearded fig trees

name:

Saint John's

geographic coordinates:

17 07 N, 61 51 W

time difference:

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

named after Saint John the Apostle

history:

several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981)

amendments:

• proposed by either house of Parliament;
• passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, the establishment, power, and authority of the executive and legislative branches, the Supreme Court Order, and the procedure for amending the constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses, approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum, and assent to by the governor general;
• passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by both houses;
• amended 2009, 2011

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

7 years

chief of state:

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)

head of government:

Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections/appointments:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

highest courts:

• the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States;
• the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges;
• the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts;
• High Court judges reside in the member states, with 2 assigned to Antigua and Barbuda

judge selection and term of office:

• chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II;
• other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission;
• Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65;
• High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts:

Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts

• Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM
• Antigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE]
• Antigua Barbuda True Labor Party or ABTLP [Sharlene SAMUEL]
• Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]
• Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]
• Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]
• Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH]
• Go Green for Life [Owen GEORGE]
• Progressive Labor Movement or PLM
• United National Democratic Party or UNDP
• United Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL] (a coalition of ACLM, PLM, UNDP)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)

chancery:

3234 Prospect Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 362-5122

FAX:

[1] (202) 362-5525

consulate(s) general:

Miami, New York

• red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag;
• the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band;
• the sun symbolizes the dawn of a new era, black represents the African heritage of most of the population, blue is for hope, and red is for the dynamism of the people;
• the "V" stands for victory;
• the successive yellow, blue, and white coloring is also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand

name:

Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee

lyrics/music:

Novelle Hamilton RICHARDS/Walter Garnet Picart CHAMBERS

note: adopted 1967; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

agriculture:

7%

industry:

11%

services:

82% (1983 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

• state-controlled Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) operates 1 TV station;
• multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available;
• ABS operates 1 radio station;
• roughly 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies

number of registered air carriers:

1 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

580,174 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

290,000 mt-km (2018)

total:

1,170 km (2011)

paved:

386 km (2011)

unpaved:

784 km (2011)

• the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles;
• the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2019 est.)

• 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
• no conscription;
• Governor-General has powers to call up men for national service and set the age at which they could be called up (2012)

current situation:

• Antigua and Barbuda is a destination and transit country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor;
• forced prostitution has been reported in bars, taverns, and brothels, while forced labor occurs in domestic service and the retail sector

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List – Antigua and Barbuda does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
• however, it is making significant efforts to do so;
• the government made no discernible progress in convicting traffickers in 2014 but charged two individuals in separate cases;
• efforts to convict traffickers have been impeded by a 2014 ruling that found the 2010 anti-trafficking act was unconstitutional because jurisdiction rests with the Magistrate’s Court rather than the High Court;
• no new prosecutions, convictions, or punishments were recorded in 2014;
• credible sources have raised concerns about trafficking-related complicity among some off-duty police officers, which could hinder investigations or victims willingness to report offenses;
• prevention efforts were sustained, but progress in protecting victims was uneven;
• seven victims were assisted, which was an increase over 2013 (2015)