Antigua and Barbuda Passport

[Country Name] Antigua and Barbuda.

[Area] 442.6 square kilometers.

【 Population 】 101000 (2022), the vast majority of whom are of African black descent. English is the official language and lingua franca. Most residents believe in Christianity.

The capital is St. John's, with a population of approximately 29000.

[Head of State] King Charles III of England, represented by the Governor General. The current Governor Rodney WILLIAMS took office on August 14, 2014.

Independence Day: November 1st.

【 Overview 】 Located in the Eastern Caribbean. It has a tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 27 ℃. The average annual precipitation is about 1020 millimeters.

In 1493, Columbus arrived on the island during his second voyage to America and named it after the Antigua Church in Seville, Spain. It was invaded by Spanish and French colonizers between 1520 and 1629. It was occupied by Britain in 1632. In 1667, it officially became a British colony according to the Treaty of Breda. In 1967, it became an associated state of Britain and established an internal autonomous government. On November 1, 1981, it declared independence and became a member state of the Commonwealth.

After independence, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party held power for a long time. In 2004 and 2009, the United Progressive Party won the general election twice. In 2014, the Labour Party returned to power and was re elected in the 2018 general election. In January 2023, Anbar will hold general elections. The Labour Party won 9 out of 17 seats in the House of Representatives and remained in power. Party leader Gaston Brown is serving as Prime Minister for the third time.

The Constitution officially came into effect on November 1, 1981. The Constitution stipulates that Antigua and Barbuda is a 'unified and sovereign democratic state'; The Governor must be a native, appointed by the British Head of State on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and exercise his powers according to the decisions of the Cabinet.

A bicameral system consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives, with a term of 5 years. The Senate consists of 17 members appointed by the Governor General, with 11 members (including 1 resident of Barbuda) nominated by the Prime Minister; 4 people nominated by the leader of the opposition party; One person is determined by the governor himself; One person is nominated by the Barbuda Commission (the main body of local government in Barbuda, whose members and roles are determined by Parliament). The House of Representatives consists of 17 members elected directly. The current parliament was formed in February 2023, with Senate Speaker Alicia WILLIAMS-GRANT (female) and House Speaker Gerald WATT.

The current government will be formed in January 2023. The members include: Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Corporate Management, and Public Private Relations, Justin Brown; Minister of Health, Health, Social Transformation, and Environment, Molwyn Joseph; Minister of Education, Creative Industries, and Sports, Daryl MATTHEW; Minister of Housing, Engineering, and Land and Urban Development, Maria BROWNE; Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Utilities, and Energy, Melford NICHOLAS; Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transport, and Investment, Charles FERNANDEZ; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Barbuda, Paul Greene; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Public Safety, Immigration, and Labor, Stromay Benjamin. Steadry BENJAMIN, Anthony Smith, Minister of Agriculture, Land, Fisheries, and Blue Economy, among others.

The country is divided into three islands: Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda. Antigua has six administrative districts, namely St. John, St. Peter, St. George, St. Philip, St. Mary, and St. Paul.

The country has local courts, with the highest judicial body being the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (located in Saint Lucia, consisting of the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with one judge based in Amba). The final appeal can be made to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

Main political parties:

(1) Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party: The ruling party. Established in 1946. From 1976 to 2004, the party held power continuously. In June 2014, March 2018, and January 2023, the Labour Party won three elections and continued to govern. Party leader Justin Brown.

(2) The United Progressive Party: opposition party. In March 1992, it was formed by the merger of the United National Democratic Party, the Progressive Labor Movement, and the Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement. The Progressive Labor Movement was in power from 1971 to 1976. In 2004 and 2009, the United Progressive Party won the general election twice. Party leader Jamale Pringle.

In addition, there are political parties such as the Barbuda People's Movement and the Democratic National Alliance.

Rodney Williams: Governor. Born in 1947, studied at Amba Grammar School and the University of the West Indies, and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Medicine. Formerly served as a teacher at a grammar school and a member of the board of directors at the University of the West Indies. From 1984 to 2004, he represented the Labour Party and was continuously elected as a member of the S ã o Paulo constituency, serving as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Government Advisor, Minister of Economic Development, Education, Tourism, and other positions.

Justin Brown: Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Corporate Management, and Public Private Relations. Born in 1967. Served as a member of the House of Representatives since 1999. Former Minister of Planning and Trade. Elected as the leader of the Labour Party in November 2012, he led the party to victory in the general election and became Prime Minister in June 2014. He was re elected twice in March 2018 and January 2023.

Implementing the strategy of building a country through tourism, the tourism industry is the most important economic sector. The economic foundation is fragile and the categories are single. The proportion of agriculture in the national economy has been declining year by year, and food cannot be self-sufficient. The industrial foundation is weak, mainly in the manufacturing and construction industries. Since 2020, the COVID-19 has hit the economy of Antigua and Barbuda hard, and the tourism industry, a pillar industry, was once suspended due to the epidemic. In the past two years, the economy of Amba has shown signs of recovery.

Main economic indicators for 2023:

Gross Domestic Product: 1.867 billion US dollars

Growth rate: 5.63%

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 18264 US dollars

Inflation rate: 4.49%

Currency Name: Eastern Caribbean Dollar

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar ≈ 2.70 Eastern Canadian dollars

(Main Information)

【 Resources 】 Only a small amount of limestone, clay, building stone, and barite are available.

Agriculture includes animal husbandry, forestry, and fisheries. The position of agriculture in the national economy continues to decline. Food cannot be self-sufficient. In recent years, the Amba government has encouraged the development of agriculture and reduced dependence on imported food. At present, the main agricultural products include corn, vegetables, fruits, and a small amount of island cotton. Antigua Island catches a small amount of live fish and lobsters.

[Tourism] plays a leading role in the national economy. In 2020, it will be greatly impacted by the COVID-19. In the past two years, it has been warming up. Tourists mainly come from the United States, Europe, Canada, and other Caribbean countries. Antigua is famous for its beaches, international rowing competitions, and carnivals, while Barbuda is relatively underdeveloped. However, the island's various wildlife also attracts a large number of tourists every year.

There are 384 kilometers of main highways and 780 kilometers of auxiliary highways in China, but no railways. The capital city of St. John is a natural deep-water port with modern facilities that can accommodate 10000 ton ocean going passenger and cargo ships. Wilbord Airport is located 9 kilometers northeast of the capital city of St. John and has routes to other English speaking countries in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. There are regular flights between Antigua and Barbuda every day.

Due to underdeveloped industry, almost all goods from small hardware to various electronic products, automobiles, and other commodities are imported. The main imports include machinery and equipment, transportation vehicles, raw materials for production (including semi-finished products), fuels and lubricants, building materials, agricultural products, automobiles, food, and daily necessities. Export a small amount of rum, island cotton, clothing, leather cotton, processed food, etc. The main trading partners are the United States and Caribbean countries. In 2023, the total import and export volume of Antigua and Barbuda was 929 million US dollars, of which the export volume was 27 million US dollars and the import volume was 902 million US dollars. (Information)

Antigua and Barbuda Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd: established in 1944 and renamed to its current name in 1991. Address: Red Cliffe St, P .O .BOX774,St John's。

The state provides free medical care and pension, which can guarantee basic medical and health care. In 2021, the average life expectancy in Antigua and Barbuda was 76.6 years, with a population growth rate of 0.81%.

There are 350 active duty soldiers in the National Defense Force.

Education: Primary and secondary schools implement compulsory education, with ages 5-12 in primary school and 12-16 in secondary school. Most primary and secondary schools are public. Antigua State College provides basic education and some vocational education to pre university students; Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology and Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute provide higher vocational education. The five island campus of the University of the West Indies is currently the only formal university in Amba. Students can also enter the University of the West Indies branch campuses located in other Caribbean countries (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados) for higher education through the University of the West Indies entrance examination. In addition, the American University of Antigua is a private medical school that provides undergraduate education.

The main newspapers include: Daily Observer, website www.antiguaobserver. com. Pointe Xpress, website http://pointville.ag .

The Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service is a subsidiary of the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Information Technology, which includes television and radio stations. Another private commercial television station has opened a cable television channel.

Actively promoting pragmatic diplomacy and developing friendly and cooperative relations with other countries on the basis of sovereign equality. Actively participating in the process of regional integration, supporting the establishment of the Caribbean Community Single Market and Economy, and considering strengthening relations with Caribbean countries as the core of foreign policy. We attach great importance to developing relations with traditional friendly countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, and strive to expand relations with Asian countries such as China and Japan. Pay attention to sustainable development issues, call on the international community to take care of the concerns of small countries, and avoid their increasing marginalization in the international community. As a member of the Alliance of Small Island States, we demand that global temperature rise be controlled within 1.5 ℃ and that developed countries provide the necessary funding and technology to adapt to climate change. Host the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in May 2024.

Amba has close economic and trade relations with the United States, and American aid and tourists are important sources of foreign exchange income for Amba. Amba is dissatisfied with the US crackdown on its gambling industry.

Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Commonwealth and continues to follow the British system in politics, judiciary, and education. The UK provides a considerable amount of aid to Antigua and Barbuda every year, including personnel training.

Amba is a member of multiple regional organizations in the Caribbean and maintains close relations with other members of the Caribbean Community, especially the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, advocating for Caribbean integration and broader regional cooperation, and strengthening regional consultation and dialogue. In June 2010, Amba and other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States jointly established the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union.