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Country Name

Conventional long form: none

Conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

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

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

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

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 NA 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)

Political Parties and Leaders

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor Movement or PLM)

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

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

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

National Anthem

Year	2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Government Type

Constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Capital

Saint John's (Antigua)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador Lionel A. HURST
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 (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

International Organization Participation

ACP
C
Caricom
CDB
FAO
G-77
IBRD
ICAO
ICCt
ICFTU
ICRM
IFAD
IFC
IFRCS
ILO
IMF
IMO

Interpol
IOC
ISO (subscriber)
ITU
OAS
OECS
OPANAL
UN
UNCTAD
UNESCO
UPU
WCL
WFTU
WHO
WIPO
WMO
WTO

Antigua and Barbuda