Introduction
Background
The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.
Geography
Area
total: 443 sq km
land: 443 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
Natural resources
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
People and Society
Population
101,489 (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
Languages
English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)
Religions
Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.)
Population growth rate
1.13% (2023 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital
name: Saint John's
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and leader of the opposition; members served 5-year terms)
House of Representatives (19 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms; in addition, 1 ex-officio seat is allocated for the attorney general and 1 seat for the speaker of the House - elected by the House membership following its first post-election session)
Economy
Economic overview
dual island-tourism and construction-driven economy; emerging “blue economy”; limited water supply and susceptibility to hurricanes limit activity; improving road infrastructure; friendly to foreign direct investment; looking at financial innovation in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.783 billion (2021 est.)
$1.693 billion (2020 est.)
$2.122 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$19,100 (2021 est.)
$18,300 (2020 est.)
$23,000 (2019 est.)
Agricultural products
tropical fruit, milk, mangoes/guavas, melons, tomatoes, pineapples, lemons, limes, eggplants, onions
Industries
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Remittances
3.41% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.65% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.19% of GDP (2019 est.)
Exports
$749.476 million (2021 est.)
$590.849 million (2020 est.)
$1.196 billion (2019 est.)
Exports - partners
Suriname 20%, Barbados 17%, Poland 12%, United Kingdom 10%, France 7% (2021)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, ships, gas turbines, aircraft parts, lobster, durum wheat (2021)
Imports
$868.797 million (2021 est.)
$737.693 million (2020 est.)
$1.18 billion (2019 est.)
Imports - partners
United States 42%, Poland 25%, China 10%, Brazil 3%, Trinidad and Tobago 2% (2021)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, ships, recreational boats, cars, poultry (2021)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2.7 (2021 est.)
2.7 (2020 est.)
2.7 (2019 est.)
2.7 (2018 est.)
2.7 (2017 est.)
Page last updated: Wednesday, December 06, 2023
