Antigua and Barbuda Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Saint John's

Population

102,634 (2024 est.)

Area

443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

🧭 Background

The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but the Arawaks populated the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, which provided labor on the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda, devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area — total

443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)

Area — land

443 sq km

Area — water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries — total

0 km

Coastline

153 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — contiguous zone

24 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas

Elevation — highest point

Mount Obama 402 m

Elevation — lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use — agricultural land

20.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

18% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

61.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

1.3 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

The island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington

Natural hazards

Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Geography - note

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

102,634 (2024 est.)

Population — male

48,311

Population — female

54,323

Nationality — noun

Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

Nationality — adjective

Antiguan, Barbudan

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.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

21.8% (male 11,384/female 11,034)

Age structure — 15-64 years

67.6% (male 32,312/female 37,094)

Age structure — 65 years and over

10.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,615/female 6,195)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

47.9 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

32.3 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

15.6 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

6.4 (2024 est.)

Median age — total

34.1 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

31.9 years

Median age — female

35.7 years

Population growth rate

1.09% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

14.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.77 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population; nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington

Urbanization — urban population

24.3% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

21,000 SAINT JOHN'S (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

16.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

78.3 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

76.1 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

80.5 years

Total fertility rate

1.92 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.94 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

14% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

2.92 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

3.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 98% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 97.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 2.6% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

11.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

2.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

4.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

5.9% national budget (2025 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Limited natural freshwater resources; water management hampered by tree-clearing to increase crop production, causing rapid rainfall runoff

International environmental agreements — party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Land use — agricultural land

20.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

18% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

61.5% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

24.3% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

0.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

725,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

8.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

30,600 tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.3% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

7.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

2.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

1.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

52 million cubic meters (2022)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Antigua and Barbuda

Country name — conventional short form

Antigua and Barbuda

Country name — etymology

Antiguo is Spanish for "ancient" or "old;" Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in 1493, after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville, Spain; barbuda is Spanish for "bearded" and may refer to the island's lichen-covered fig trees

Government type

Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital — name

Saint John's

Capital — geographic coordinates

17 07 N, 61 51 W

Capital — time difference

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

Capital — etymology

Named after Saint John the Apostle

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Legal system

Common law based on the English model

Constitution — history

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

Constitution — amendment process

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

International law organization participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

Yes

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

Yes

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)

Executive branch — head of government

Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)

Executive branch — cabinet

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

Executive branch — election/appointment process

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

Legislative branch — legislature name

Parliament

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

House of Representatives

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

18 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

1/18/2023

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) (9); United Progressive Party (UPP) (6); Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) (1); Independents (1); (1); Republican Force (1)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

5.6%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

January 2028

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Senate

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

17 (all appointed)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

2/17/2023

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

41.2%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

February 2028

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and 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 travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; 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

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Industrial Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties

Antigua Labor Party or ABLP Barbuda People's Movement or BPM Democratic National Alliance or DNA Go Green for Life or GGL United Progressive Party or UPP

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

3216 New Mexico Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 362-5122

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 362-5225

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Embantbar@aol.com https://www.antigua-barbuda.org/Aghome01.htm

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

The US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

International organization participation

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

1 November 1981 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

Flag

Description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle in the center that spans the flag from top to bottom; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band meaning: the sun stands for the dawn of a new era, black for the African heritage of most of the population, blue for hope, and red for the dynamism of the people; the "V" shape of the triangle stands for victory; the yellow, blue, and white colors are also meant to evoke the country's tourist attractions of sun, sea, and sand

National symbol(s)

Fallow deer

National color(s)

Red, white, blue, black, yellow

National anthem(s) — title

"God Save the King"

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Unknown

National anthem(s) — history

Royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Antigua Naval Dockyard (Nelson's Dockyard)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

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) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$2.772 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.657 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$2.594 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

9.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$29,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$28,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$27,900 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.225 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.2% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.5% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

1.9% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

19% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

69.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

Tropical fruits, milk, mangoes/guavas, eggs, lemons/limes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cucumbers/gherkins, yams (2023)

Industries

Tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

1.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$251.418 million (2014 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$266.044 million (2014 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2016

86.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

-$181.366 million (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$271.047 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$291.674 million (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$1.314 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$1.185 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$1.111 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Suriname 29%, Poland 21%, USA 8%, Dominican Republic 7%, Australia 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Refined petroleum, ships, soybean meal, shellfish, paintings (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$1.282 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$1.273 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$1.227 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 43%, Poland 6%, China 5%, UK 4%, Germany 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Ships, refined petroleum, cars, plastic products, furniture (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$358.441 million (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$364.367 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$396.506 million (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity — installed generating capacity

148,000 kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

322.923 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

38.121 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

93.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

6.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

25 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

110.114 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

27,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

29 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

186,182 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

201 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

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 20 radio stations (2024)

Internet country code

.ag

Internet users — percent of population

78% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

10,000 (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V2

Airports

4 (2025)

Heliports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine — total

614 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Bulk carrier 24, container ship 109, general cargo 425, oil tanker 6, other 50

Ports — total ports

1 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

1

Ports — small

0

Ports — very small

0

Ports — ports with oil terminals

1

Ports — key ports

St. John's

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF): Antigua and Barbuda Regiment, Air Wing, Coast Guard Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 300 active Defense Force personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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 (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women; no conscription (2025)

Military - note

The ABDF’s responsibilities include providing for internal security and support to the police in maintaining law and order, interdicting narcotics smuggling, responding to natural disasters, and monitoring the country’s territorial waters and maritime resources; established in 1981 from colonial forces originally created in 1897, it is one of the world’s smallest militaries the country has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

5 (2024 est.)