Moving to Antigua and Barbuda: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

102,634

Population Growth Rate

1.11%

Population Distribution

the island of Antigua is home to approximately 97% of the population

nearly the entire population of Barbuda lives in Codrington

Urban Population

• population: 24.3% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 0.87% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

21,000 SAINT JOHN'S (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 48,311
• female: 54,323

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Age Structure

• years: 21.8% (male 11,384/female 11,034) 15-64
• years: 67.6% (male 32,312/female 37,094) 65 years and
• over: 10.5% (male 4,615/female 6,195)

Median Age

• total: 33.9 years
• male: 31.9 years
• female: 35.7 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

15

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

5.7

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.93

Gross reproduction rate

1

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

31.5%

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.74 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.89 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

2

Ethnic Groups

African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9%

Language Note

English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)

Nationality Noun

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

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Literacy - total population

99%

Literacy - male

98.4%

Literacy - female

99.4%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.8%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 15 years
• male: 14 years
• female: 16 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 78.3 years
• male: 76.1 years
• female: 80.5 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

21

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

2.76

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

2.9

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

5.6%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 11.88 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 2.97 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 3.95 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 4.55 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: improved:
• total: 96.7% of population
• unimproved: unimproved:
• total: 3.2% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: total: 91.7% of population
• unimproved: total: 8.1% of population

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Economic Overview

Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment.

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 an enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.

Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by the effects of the global economic recession in 2009.

The country suffered from the collapse of its largest private-sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009 and 2011.

Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels.

Barbuda suffered significant damages after hurricanes Irma and Maria passed through the Caribbean in 2017.

Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and could be disrupted by potential damage from natural disasters.

The new government, elected in 2014 and led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, continues to face significant fiscal challenges.

The government places some hope in a new Citizenship by Investment Program, to both reduce public debt levels and spur growth and a resolution of a WTO dispute with the US.

Industries

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$24,100.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$1,760,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$24,100.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2%

GDP - official exchange rate

$1,303,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 65% government
• consumption: 16.9% investment in fixed
• capital: 23.2% investment in
• inventories: 0.1% exports of goods and
• services: 35.2% imports of goods and
• services: -40.4%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

2.2%

GDP by Sector- Industry

17.8%

GDP by Sector- services

80%

Industrial Growth Rate

3.2%

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Inflation Rate

1.6%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

2.7

Currency Name and Code

East Caribbean dollars (XCD)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

9.8%

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Labor Force

30,000

Unemployment Rate

11%

Major Industries

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

Agriculture Products

Cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

7%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

11%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

82%

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Annual Budget

$279,100,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

89%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-1.7%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

21.4%

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Full Country Name

none

Country Name

Antigua and Barbuda

Etymology- history of name

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

Independence

1 November 1981 (from the UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 1 November (1981)

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Government Type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981)
• amendments: proposed by either house of Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, the establishment, power, and authority of the executive and legislative branches, the Supreme Court Order, and the procedure for amending the constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses, approval by at least two-thirds majority in a referendum, and assent to by the governor general; passage of other amendments requires only two-thirds majority vote by both houses; amended 2009, 2011, 2018

Legal System:

common law based on the English model

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014) previous
• chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (6 February 1952 - 8 September 2022)
• head of government: Prime Minister Gaston BROWNE (since 13 June 2014)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
• elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

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)
• Elections: Senate - last appointed on 17 February 2023 (next appointments in 2028) House of Representatives - last held on 18 January 2023 (next to be held in March 2028)
• Election Results: Senate -
• Composition: men 10, women 7, percent of women 41.1% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - ABLP 47.1%, UPP 45.2%, BPM 1.5%, independent 5.2%; seats by party - ABLP 9, UPP 6, BPM 1, independent 1;
• Composition: men 16, women 1, percent of women 5.9%;
• Note: total Parliament percent of women 23.5%

Judicial Branch:

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

Regions or States:

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

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Antigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE]
• Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]
• Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH]
• Go Green for Life or GGL [Owen GEORGE]
• United Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: yes citizenship by descent
• only: yes dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 7 years

Capital Name

Saint John's

Capital - geographic coordinate

17 07 N, 61 51 W

Capital Time Difference

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

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International Organization Participation:

• ACP
• AOSIS
• 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

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados Linda S. TAGLIALATELA is accredited to Dominica

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Sir Ronald SANDERS (since 17 September 2015)
• Chancery: 3216 New Mexico Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016
• Telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122
• FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225
• Email: embantbar@aol.com
• Website: https://www.antigua-barbuda.org/Aghome01.htm
• Consulate(s) General: Miami, New York

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Geographic Location

The Caribbean

Geographic Coordinates

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Total Area

171 Square Miles 442 Square Kilometers

Land Area

171 Square Miles 442 Square Kilometers

Coastline

95 Miles 153 Kilometers

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Terrain

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

Highest Point

402 Meters

Highest Point Location

Boggy Peak 402 m

Lowest Point Location

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural Resources

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Irrigated Land

0 Square Miles 1 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

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

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Climate

Tropical; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

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

Location

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

Total Area

171 Square Miles 442 Square Kilometers

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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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Exports

$61,700,000 (USD)

Imports

$482,100,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals

Major Imports

Food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

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Airports - total

3

Airports with Paved Runways

2

Roadways- total

727 Miles 1,170 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

240 Miles 386 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Saint John's

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Telephones

37,400

Cell Phones

110,200

Internet Users

60,000

Internet Country Code

.ag

Internet Hosts

9,795

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 15 radio stations, some broadcasting on multiple frequencies

Telephone System

• Assessment: Good automatic telephone system
• Domestic: Fixed-line teledensity is roughly 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is some 200 per 100 persons
• International: country code - 1-268; landing points for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) and the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cable systems with links to other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands) and Guadeloupe (France)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

102,300,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

110,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

5,000

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Anthem History

The anthem of this Caribbean nation was adopted on an unofficial basis upon achieving statehood in the commonwealth in 1967 and confirmed as the sole official anthem upon full independence in 1981

Anthem Lyrics English

Fair Antigua, we salute thee!

Proudly we this anthem raise To thy glory and thy beauty, Joyfully we sing the praise Of the virtues, all bestowed On thy sons and daughters free; Ever striving, ever seeking, Dwell in love and unity.

Raise the standard!

Raise it boldly!

Answer now to duty's call To the service of thy country, Sparing nothing, giving all; Gird your loins and join the battle 'Gainst fear, hate and poverty, Each endeavouring, all achieving, Live in peace where man is free.

God of nations, let Thy blessings Fall upon this land of ours; Rain and sunshine ever sending, Fill her fields with crops and flowers; We her children do implore Thee, Give us strength, faith, loyalty, Never failing, all enduring To defend her liberty.