About Antigua and Barbuda

- Area: 442.6 km ².

- Population: about 86,750 inhabitants (estimated in the summer of 2010).

- Capital: St John's.

- Independence: November 1, 1981. Antigua is the first British Caribbean island to have enjoyed complete autonomy in 1967.

- Language: Angaïs (official), Creole.

- Government: Parliamentary democracy, a member of the Commonwealth.

- Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor General Louise Lake-Tack, in office since summer 2007.

- Head of Government: Winston Baldwin Spencer in March 2004. Quite a pluralist, who is also Foreign Minister, Investment, Merchant Marine, Telecom, Energy, Religious Affairs and Business!

- Political parties: for nearly 50 years, Antigua has been ruled by the ever-present Antigua Labor Party (ALP) of Sir Vere Cornwall Bird (1910-1999) and his son Lester Bird. Lester finally succumbed in 2004 to the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP). Reelected in 2009, it now has 9 of the 17 seats in Parliament - not to mention the vest in Barbuda, won by his ally the BPM (Barbuda People's Movement for Change).

Economy

The economy of Antigua and Barbuda relies heavily on tourism, a new kind of monoculture that replaces the old cane, with 800,000 to 1 million annual visitors and 50% of jobs on the island - the Most in subordinate positions. Other sources of income come from the tax haven status of the country, the sale of flags of convenience and Internet gaming ... Everything is good to take! Agriculture, insignificant, represents little more than 3% of GDP.

The standard of living is artificially high, Antigua Caribbean finishing second after the Bahamas to Barbados. This however, rests on a massive debt, reaching approximately 130% of GDP at end 2010! The establishment of an income tax (which did not exist before) was not enough. Growth, which climbed to 12% in 2006 (6.9% average 2004-2008) thanks to foreign investment in tourism and a boom in construction in order to organize the World Cup Cricket is in free fall (- 6.7% in 2009). The poverty rate was 18.4% before the crisis.