Shopping in Antigua & Barbuda

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s).
Population (2004 estimate): 80,039.
Annual population growth rate (2004): 1.9%.
Ethnic groups: Almost entirely of African origin; some of British, Portuguese, and Levantine Arab origin.
Religions: Principally Anglican, with evangelical Protestant and Roman Catholic minorities.
Language: English.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy--about 90%.
Health: Life expectancy--71 yrs. male; 75 yrs. female. Infant mortality rate--18/1,000.
Work force (31,300): Commerce and services, agriculture, other industry.
Unemployment (Labor Commission est. 2002): 11-13%.

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Area: Antigua--281 sq. km. (108 sq. mi.); Barbuda--161 sq. km. (62 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--St. John's (pop. 30,000).
Terrain: Generally low-lying, with highest elevation 405 m. (1,330 ft.).
Climate: Tropical maritime.

GDP (2004): $815.2 million.
GDP growth rate (2004): 5.2%.
Per capita GDP (est. 2004): $10,185
Natural resources: Negligible.
Agriculture (2004, 3.2% of GDP): Products-- fish, cotton, livestock, vegetables, and pineapples.
Services: Tourism, banking, and other financial services.
Trade: Exports (2004)--$20 million. Trade partners (2000)--OECS (24%), U.S. (10%), Trinidad and Tobago (7%), Barbados (21%). Imports (2004)--$369 million. Trade partners (2000)--U.S. (27%), U.K. (10%), OECS (1%).

ECONOMY
Antigua and Barbuda's service-based economy grew by 5.2% in 2004, with tourism, financial services, and government services as the key sources of employment and income. Although the tourism sector faced setbacks from a series of violent hurricanes since 1995 and a drop off in tourism after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, it has largely recovered and had a strong performance in 2004. More than three-quarters of a million people visited Antigua and Barbuda in 2004, the majority from Europe and the U.S., including over 500,000 cruise ship visitors.

To lessen its vulnerability to natural disasters and economic shocks, Antigua has sought to diversify its economy by encouraging growth in transportation, communications, Internet gambling, and financial services.

Antigua and Barbuda's currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), a regional currency shared among members of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) issues the EC$, manages monetary policy, and regulates and supervises commercial banking activities in its member countries. The ECCB's primary monetary policy goal is to maintain the long-standing currency peg of US$1=EC$2.7.

Antigua and Barbuda is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative that grants duty-free entry into the U.S. for many goods. In 2001, 22% of its total exports of $17 million went to the U.S. and 28.5% of its $335 million total imports came from the U.S. Antigua and Barbuda also belongs to the predominantly English-speaking Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Antigua and Barbuda maintains diplomatic relations with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the People's Republic of China, as well as with many Latin American countries and neighboring Eastern Caribbean states. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, and the Eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System (RSS).

As a member of CARICOM, Antigua and Barbuda supported efforts by the United States to implement UN Security Council Resolution 940, designed to facilitate the departure of Haiti's de facto authorities from power. The country agreed to contribute personnel to the multinational force, which restored the democratically elected government of Haiti in October 1994.