The 2002 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Aruba

      Telephones - main lines in use: 33,000 (1997)

      Telephones - mobile cellular: 3,402 (1997)

      Telephone system: more than adequate international: interisland microwave radio relay links

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

      Radios: 50,000 (1997)

      Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

      Televisions: 20,000 (1997)

      Internet country code: .aw

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA

      Internet users: 4,000 (2000)

      Transportation Aruba

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 800 km paved: 513 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) unpaved: 287 km

      Waterways: none

      Ports and harbors: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

      Merchant marine: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 1 (2001)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

      Military Aruba

      Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch

       Navy and Marines, Coast Guard

      Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the

       Netherlands

      Transnational Issues Aruba

      Disputes - international: none

      Illicit drugs: drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

      This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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      Antigua and Barbuda

      Introduction

      Antigua and Barbuda

      Background: The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995.

      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: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km land: 442 sq km

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

      Land boundaries: 0 km

      Coastline: 153 km

      Maritime claims: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: Climate: tropical marine; 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% permanent crops: 0% other: 82% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land: NA sq km

      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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: 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: 67,448 (July 2002 est.)

      Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 9,618; female 9,293) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 22,695; female 22,682) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,289; female 1,871) (2002 est.)

      Population growth rate: 0.69% (2002 est.)

      Birth rate: 18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

      Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

      Net migration rate: -6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

      Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 21.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: 73.45 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (2002 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: Anglican (predominant), other Protestant, some Roman Catholic

      Languages: English (official), local dialects

      Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.)

      Government Antigua and Barbuda

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

       Antigua and Barbuda

      Government type: constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

      Capital: Saint John's

      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 James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994)

      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) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next