Chapter V: Front Matter (5)

Environment - current issues:
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to
population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of
the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

People Angola

Population:
12,127,071 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,678,185/female 2,625,933)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 3,291,954/female 3,195,688)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 148,944/female 186,367) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 18 years
female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
45.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
24.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 185.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 197.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 172.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 38.62 years
male: 37.47 years
female: 39.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.35 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
240,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
21,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
sickness) are high risks in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Nationality:
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan

Ethnic groups:
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European
and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998
est.)

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.8%
male: 82.1%
female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Government Angola

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola

Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:
name: Luanda
geographic coordinates: 8 48 S, 13 14 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela,
Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene,
Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico,
Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Independence:
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution:
adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently
modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of
free markets

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year
term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under
the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in
1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for
reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September
1992 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI
40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held
and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola
(UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war
resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats;
members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
3, other 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed
by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest
opposition party); Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or
MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975);
Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA,
Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties
have little influence in the National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita
Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]
note: FLEC's small-scale, highly factionalized armed struggle for
the independence of Cabinda Province has largely ended

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS
(observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITI
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFIRD
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
Luanda), Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
pouch: US Embassy Luanda,US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place,
Washington, DC 20521-2550
telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000
FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered
yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a
cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Economy Angola

Economy - overview:
Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record
oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its
supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90% of
exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004, 19%
growth in 2005, and nearly 17% growth in 2006. A postwar
reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to
high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much
of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from
the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as
widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an
apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel
leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture
provides the main livelihood for half of the population, but half of
the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government
started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild
Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects
were completed in 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an
exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves
to buy kwanzas out of circulation, a policy that was more
sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings, and has
significantly reduced inflation. Consumer inflation declined from
325% in 2000 to about 13% in 2006, but the stabilization policy
places pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take
advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive
forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will
need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce
corruption. The government has made little progress on reforms
recommended by the IMF such as promoting greater transparency in
government spending and continues to be without a formal monitoring
agreement with the institution. Corruption, especially in the
extractive sectors, is a major challenge facing Angola.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$51.95 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$28.37 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
14% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,300 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.6%
industry: 65.8%
services: 24.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
6.393 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half
the population (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $10.98 billion
expenditures: $9.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $963
million (2006 est.)

Public debt:
32.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca),
tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish

Industries:
petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,
uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;
food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship
repair

Industrial production growth rate:
13.5% (2004)

Electricity - production:
2.194 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.4%
hydro: 63.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.04 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
48,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
25 billion bbl (2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:
750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
750 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
45.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$7.7 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$35.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,
sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Exports - partners:
US 39.8%, China 29.6%, France 7.8%, Chile 5.4%, Taiwan 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$10.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;
medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Imports - partners:
South Korea 20.5%, Portugal 13.4%, US 12.5%, South Africa 7.4%,
Brazil 7%, France 5.1%, China 5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.75 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$11.24 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$383.5 million (1999)

Currency (code):
kwanza (AOA)

Currency code:
AOA

Exchange rates:
kwanza per US dollar - 80.3 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004),
74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Angola

Telephones - main lines in use:
94,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,094,100 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government
and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military
links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29;
fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to
Europe and Asia (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Radios:
815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)

Televisions:
196,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.ao

Internet hosts:
2,525 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
172,000 (2005)

Transportation Angola

Airports:
244 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 31
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 213
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 81 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km; oil/gas/water
5 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 51,429 km
paved: 5,349 km
unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)

Waterways:
1,300 km (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 5 (Bahamas 5) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo

Military Angola

Military branches:
Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces
(FANA) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - two years plus time for training (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 2,548,455
females age 17-49: 2,462,601 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,282,195
females age 17-49: 1,256,390 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 126,694
females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
8.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international:
many Cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in
neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 13,464 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs
already have returned) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western
Europe and other African states

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Anguilla

Introduction Anguilla

Background:
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla
was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when
the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was
incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.

Geography Anguilla

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
61 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Natural resources:
salt, fish, lobster

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues:
supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand
largely because of poor distribution system

Geography - note:
the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

People Anguilla

Population:
13,477 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.8% (male 1,557/female 1,510)
15-64 years: 70.4% (male 4,878/female 4,608)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 412/female 512) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.2 years
male: 31.2 years
female: 31.1 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.57% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
14.17 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.28 years
male: 74.35 years
female: 80.3 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:
black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other
1.5% (2001 Census)

Religions:
Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman
Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified
4.3% (2001 Census)

Languages:
English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Government Anguilla

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: The Valley
geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 04 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
2000)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
elected members of the House of Assembly
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct
popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%,
AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA
2, AUM 1

Judicial branch:
High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The Anguilla
United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of
the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National
Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS];
Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate),
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking
circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below

Economy Anguilla

Economy - overview:
Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily
on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,
has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
favorable weather conditions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$108.9 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$108.9 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
10.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
6,049 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 4%,
construction 18%, transportation and utilities 3%, commerce 36%,
services 18% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
23% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries:
tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA
hydro: NA
nuclear: NA
other: NA

Electricity - consumption:
42.6 million kWh

Current account balance:
$-42.87 million (2003 est.)

Exports:
$14.56 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners:
UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2004)

Imports:
$129.9 million (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners:
US, Puerto Rico, UK (2004)

Debt - external:
$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:
$9 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ai

Internet hosts:
403 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
3,000 (2002)

Transportation Anguilla

Airports:
3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 175 km
paved: 82 km
unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Blowing Point, Road Bay

Military Anguilla

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,614 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Antarctica

Background:
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not
confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial
operators and British and Russian national expeditions began
exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of
the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location:
continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
ice-covered) (est.)
note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
subcontinent of Europe

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
0 km
note: see entry on Disputes - international

Coastline:
17,968 km

Maritime claims:
Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their
continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are
not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic consultative
nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia
and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize
the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes -
international entry

Climate:
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance
from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica
because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most
moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the
coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with
average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges
up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of
southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area,
and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves
along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves
constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:
iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other
minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)

Natural hazards:
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high
interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:
in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic ozone hole
was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers;
researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing
through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an Antarctic fish
lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm
one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of
ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:
the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;
during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South
Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly
uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and
summer-only staffed research stations
note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only
(summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its
nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region
covered by the Antarctic Treaty); these stations' population of
persons doing and supporting science or engaged in the management
and protection of the Antarctic region varies from approximately
4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000
personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard
research, are present in the waters of the treaty region; peak
summer (December-February) population - 3,822 total; Argentina 417,
Australia 213, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 15, Chile 224, China 70, Ecuador
22, Finland 20, France 123, Germany 78, India 65, Italy 112, Japan
150, South Korea 60, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Russia
429, South Africa 80, Spain 28, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 205, US
1,170, Uruguay 60 (2005-2006); winter (June-August) station
population - 1,028 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12,
Chile 88, China 29, France 37, Germany 9, India 25, Italy 2, Japan
40, South Korea 15, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South
Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 288, Uruguay 9 (2005); research
stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60
degrees south latitude) by members of the Council of Managers of
National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 37
total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, France
1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1,
Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay
1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2005); seasonal-only (summer)
stations - 15 total; Australia 1, Bulgaria 1, Chile 1, Ecuador 1,
Finland 1, Germany 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Peru 1, Russia 1,
Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2005-2006); in addition, during the austral
summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent
camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in
support of research

Government Antarctica

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica

Government type:
Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1
December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes
the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 28th
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Stockholm, Sweden
in June 2005; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by
consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the
end of 2005, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative
and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members
include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as
national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant
nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims;
the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is
administered through meetings of the consultative member nations;
decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member
nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in
accordance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses
indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and
when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date
indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory;
claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ,
Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium,
Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador
(1987/1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India
(1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989),
Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977),
Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine
(1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative
members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria
(1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic
(1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987),
Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New
Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland
(1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note - Czechoslovakia
acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic
and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful
purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is
prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for
scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 -
freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue;
Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation
with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not
recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new
claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 -
prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes;
Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south
of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights;
Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including
aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations,
installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and
of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 -
allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own
states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among
member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage
activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the
treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the
parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 -
deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among
involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations
adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments
include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were
later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for
the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral
resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was
signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this
agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment
through six specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2)
conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and
waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area
protection and management and 6) liability arising from
environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to
mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic
Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Legal system:
Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative
member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by
these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and
operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law,
including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such
as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply
to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16
U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties
for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of
statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected
areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the
Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in
fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and
Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law
95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in
1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in
advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as
required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact
Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science
Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or
visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the
Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90
degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal
instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party
to the Antarctic Treaty

Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview:
Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for
Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in
2003-04 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 136,262 metric tons
(estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which
extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulated
fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.
The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marine
species. A total of 23,175 tourists visited in the 2004-05 Antarctic
summer, up from the 19,486 visitors the previous year. Nearly all of
them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and
several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips
last approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:
0; note - information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: local systems at some research stations
domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
of locations
international: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobile
Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,
aircraft, and most field parties

Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1, note - information for US bases only
(2002)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic
Network-McMurdo)
note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions:
several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)
note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code:
.aq

Internet hosts:
7,757 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Transportation Antarctica

Airports:
20
note: there are no developed public access airports or landing
facilities; 28 stations or remote field locations, operated by 11
National Antarctic Programs from nations party to the Antarctic
Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities comprising a
total of 11 runways and 22 skiways for fixed-wing aircraft; some
stations have both runways and skiways; commercial enterprises
operate two aircraft landing facilities at one station; helicopter
pads are available at all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations
operated by National Antarctic Programs; the 11 runways are suitable
for wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft: three are gravel, four blue-ice,
two sea-ice and two compacted snow; of these, five are 3 km in
length, two are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three are between 1
km and 2 km in length and one is less than 1 km in length; the 22
snow surface skiways are limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing
aircraft; of these, three are equal to or greater than 3 km in
length, one is between 2 km and 3 km in length, nine are between 1
km and 2 km in length, five are less than 1 km in length, and four
are of unknown or variable length; snow surface skiways are
generally prepared and maintained during specific periods only and
during summer; all aircraft landing facilities subject to severe
restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and
geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO
standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or
nongovernmental operating organization required for using their
facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance
with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the operation of
aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica were adopted in
2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures
adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to
the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90
degrees of latitude South, have to be complied with (see information
under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight Information Manual (AFIM)
providing up-to-date details of Antarctic air facilities and
procedures is maintained and published by the Council of Managers of
National Antarctic Programs (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 4
length unknown or variable: 4 (2006)

Heliports:
37
note: all 37 year-round and 15 seasonal stations operated by
National Antarctic Programs stations have restricted helicopter
landing facilities (helipads) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most
coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), and Palmer (64 43 S,
64 03 W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office
under "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection
in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage
is sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and
authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the
Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to
all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to be
complied with (see "Legal System"); The Hydrographic Committee on
Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commission of International
Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic
surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it
coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate
charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of
navigation in region; membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member
State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which
contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area;
members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France,
Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa,
Spain, and the UK (2005)

Military Antarctica

Military - note:
the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,
such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the
carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of
weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for
scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international:
Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in
government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ,
Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some overlapping)
for a large portion of the continent; the US and many other states
do not recognize these territorial claims and have made no claims
themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims
have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees
west; several states with territorial claims in Antarctica have
expressed their intention to submit data to the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their continental shelf
claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction Antigua and Barbuda

Background:
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and
Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when
Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by
the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a
colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on
Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent
state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

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: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
land: 442.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
153 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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 extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources:
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

Natural hazards:
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh
water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to
increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

Environment - international agreements:
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

Geography - note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors
and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population:
69,108 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 9,716/female 9,375)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 23,801/female 23,524)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,020/female 1,672) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 30 years
male: 29.5 years
female: 30.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.55% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
16.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.16 years
male: 69.78 years
female: 74.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Ethnic groups:
black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Religions:
Christian (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some
Roman Catholic)

Languages:
English (official), local dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling
total population: 85.8%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2003 est.)

Government Antigua and Barbuda

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Saint John's
geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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

Independence:
1 November 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)

Constitution:
1 November 1981

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24
March 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the governor general

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body
appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives
(17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to
serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next
to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ALP 4, UPP 13

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a
Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM
[Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur
NIBBS]; National Democratic Congress [Tillman THOMAS]; United
Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three
parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive
Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's
Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225
consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US
Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Flag description:
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

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

Economy - overview:
Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than
half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have
slowed the economy and pressed the government into a tight fiscal
corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused
on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and
a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism
and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for
export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and
electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium
term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized
world, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more than
one-third of tourist arrivals.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$750 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$905 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 22%
services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
30,000

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 11%
services: 82% (1983)

Unemployment rate:
11% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $123.7 million
expenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes,
sugarcane; livestock

Industries:
tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol,
household appliances)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
105 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
97.65 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:
$-83.4 million (2004)

Exports:
$46.81 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport
equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%

Exports - partners:
Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005)

Imports:
$378 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment,
manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports - partners:
US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$427.3 million; note - data are for public external debt, not total
external debt (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.65 million (2004)

Currency (code):
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), note, fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
54,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba
(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ag

Internet hosts:
2,231 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2005)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

Airports:
3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Roadways:
total: 1,165 km
paved: 384 km
unpaved: 781 km (2002)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chemical tanker 7, container
321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1,
refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21
foreign-owned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia
2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of
Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11,
NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4,
Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Saint John's

Military Antigua and Barbuda

Military branches:
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 18,952
females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 14,859
females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 507
females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the
US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Arctic Ocean

Background:
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after
the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently
delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and
Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal
waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes
circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location:
body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north
of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
45,389 km

Climate:
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively
narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by
continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear
skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy
weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow