in which the Head of State is the Monarch who appoints the Governor General as vice-regal representative. Elizabeth II is the present Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, having served in that position since the islands' independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. The Queen is now (2007–2010) represented by Governor General Dane Louise Agnetha Lake-Tack (1944-) who became the first woman to hold this position. A Council of Ministers is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, currently Winston Baldwin Spencer (1948-). The Prime Minister is the Head of Government. Executive power is exercised by the government while legislative power is vested in both the government and the two Chambers of Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen members appointed by members of the government and the opposition party, and approved by the Governor-General), and the House of Representatives (seventeen members elected by first past the post (check this entry) to serve five-year terms). The Speaker of the House is author and former St. John's University professor (New York) D. Gisele Isaac (check), while the President of the Senate is educator Hazlyn Francis-Mason. The last elections held were on March 12, 2009, during which the Antigua Labour Party won seven seats, the United Progressive Party nine and the Barbuda People's Movement one. Since 1949, the party system had been dominated by the populist Antigua Labour Party. However, the Antigua and Barbuda legislative election of 2004 saw the defeat of the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. Prime Minister Lester Bryant Bird (succeeded his father Vere Cornwall Bird) and Deputy Robin Yearwood had been in office since 1994. The elder Bird was Prime Minister from 1981 to 1994 and Chief Minister of Antigua from 1960 to 1981, except for the 1971-1976 period when the Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) defeated his party. Vere Cornwall Bird, the nation's first Prime Minister, is credited with having brought Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean into a new era of independence. The Judicial Branch is the 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). In addition, Antigua is a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Supreme Court of Appeal was the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council up until 2001, when the nations of the Caribbean Community voted to abolish the right of appeal to the Privy Council in favor of a Caribbean Court of Justice. Some debate between member countries repeatedly delayed the court's date of inauguration. As of March 2005 (check the status of this action), only Barbados was set to replace appeals to the Privy Council with appeals the Caribbean Court of Justice, which by then had come into operation. Administration Parishes of Antigua Main article: Parishes and dependencies of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda is divided into six parishes and two dependencies: Parishes Saint George Saint John Saint Mary Saint Paul Saint Peter Saint Philip Dependencies Barbuda Redonda Geography Main article: Geography of Antigua and Barbuda Islands Antigua - largest island Barbuda Bird Island Bishop Island Blake Island Cinnamon Island Codrington Island Crump Island Dulcina Island Exchange Island Five Islands Great Bird Island Green Island Guana Island Hale Gate Island Hawes Island Henry Island Johnson Island Kid Island Laviscounts Island Lobster Island Long Island Maid Island Moor Island Nanny Island Pelican Island Prickly Pear Island Rabbit Island Rat Island Red Head Island Redonda Sandy Island Smith Island The Sisters Vernon Island Wicked Will Island York Island Military This section requires expansion. The ABDF has 285 members; within it, 200 12-to-18-year-old youngsters make up the Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps. Economy Main article: Economy of Antigua and Barbuda Tourism dominates the economy, accounting for more than half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Antigua is famous for its many exclusive luxury resorts. Weak tourist activity since early 2000 has slowed the economy, however, and squeezed the government into a tight fiscal corner. Investment banking and financial services also make up an important part of the economy. Major world banks with offices in Antigua include the Bank of America (Bank of Antigua), Barclays, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Scotia Bank. Financial-services corporations with offices in Antigua include PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has accused the Antigua-based Stanford International Bank owned by Texas billionaire Allen Stanford of orchestrating a huge fraud which may have bilked investors of some $8 billion.[2] (check status 20100312) The twin-island nation's agricultural production is focussed on its domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction work. Manufacturing is made up of enclave-type assembly for export, the major products being bedding, handicrafts and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the United States, from which about one-third of all tourists come. Following the opening of the American University of Antigua College of Medicine by investor and attorney Neil Simon in 2003, a new source of revenue was established. The university employs many local Antiguans and the approximate 1000 students consume a large amount of the goods and services. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Antigua and Barbuda This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (March 2009) Demographics of Antigua and Barbuda, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. Ethnicity & racial make-up Antigua has a population of 85,632, mostly made up of people of West African, British, and Portuguese descent. The ethnic distribution consists of 91% Black, Mulatto and mixed Black/Amerindian, 4.4% other mixed race, 1.7% White, and 2.9% other (primarily East Indian and Asian). Most Whites are of Irish or British descent. Christian Levantine Arabs (mostly from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine), Portuguese, and a small number of Asians and Sephardic Jews make up the remainder of the population. Behind the late 20th-century revival and redefinition of the role of Afro-Antiguans and Barbudans in the society's cultural life is a history of racial/ethnic tensions which systematically excluded non-Whites. Within the colonial framework established by the British soon after their initial settlement of Antigua in 1623, five distinct and carefully ranked racial/ethnic groups emerged. At the top of this social structure were the British, who justified their hegemony with arguments of White Supremacy and civilizing missions. Amongst them were divisions between British Antiguans and non-creolized Britons, with the latter coming out on top. In short, this was a racial/ethnic hierarchy which gave maximum recognition to people and cultural practices of Anglican origin. Immediately below the British were the mulattos, a mixed-race group of Afro-European origin. Mulattos, lighter in shade than most Africans, developed a complex system based on skin shade to distinguish themselves from the latter and to legitimate their claims to higher status. In many ways, they paralleled the British White Supremacy ideology. In the middle of this social stratification were the Portuguese, 2,500 of whom migrated as workers from Madeira (a Portuguese island off the Moroccan coast) between 1847 and 1852 because of a severe famine there. Many established small businesses and joined the ranks of the mulatto class. The British never really considered the Portuguese as Whites and did not allow them into their ranks. Amongst Antiguans and Barbudans of Portuguese descent, status differences were based on the varying degrees of assimilation into the dominant group's Anglicized practices. Next to the bottom were Middle Easterners who began migrating to Antigua and Barbuda around the turn of the 20th century. Starting as itinerant traders, they soon worked their way into the social mix. Although Middle Easterners came from a variety of areas, as a group they are usually referred to as Syrians. St. John's Cathedral Afro-Antiguans and Afro-Barbudans were at the bottom. Forced into slavery, Africans started arriving in Antigua and Barbuda in large numbers during the 1670s. Very quickly, they grew into the largest racial/ethnic group. Their entry into the local social structure was marked by a profound racialization: They ceased being Yoruba, Igbo, or Akan and became Negroes or Blacks.[citation needed] In the 20th century, the colonial social structure gradually started to be phased out with the introduction of universal education and better economic opportunities. This process allowed Blacks to rise to the highest echelons of society and government. In the last decade,[when?] Spanish-speaking immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Afro-Caribbean immigrants from Guyana and Dominique were added to this ethnic mosaic. They have entered at the social structure's bottom; it is still too early to predict their patterns of assimilation and social mobility. Today, an increasingly large percentage of the population lives abroad, most notably in the United Kingdom (Antiguan Britons), United States and Canada. A minority of Antiguan residents are immigrants from other countries, particularly from Dominica, Guyana and Jamaica, and, increasing, from the Dominican Republic, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Nigeria. An estimated 4,500 American citizens also make their home in Antigua and Barbuda, making their numbers one of the largest American populations in the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean.[3] Religion Seventy-four percent [4] of Antiguans are Christians, with the Anglican denomination (about 44%) being the largest. Other Christian denominations present are Baptists,[5] Presbyterians[6][7] and Catholics. Non-Christian religions practiced in the islands include the Rastafari Movement, Islam, Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith. Languages English is the official language, but many of the locals speak Antiguan Creole. The Barbudan accent is slightly different from the Antiguan. In the years before Antigua and Barbuda's independence, Standard English was widely spoken in preference to Antiguan Creole, but afterwards Antiguans began treating Antiguan Creole as a respectable aspect of their culture. Generally, the upper and middle classes shun Antiguan Creole. The educational system dissuades the use of Antiguan Creole and instruction is done in Standard (British) English. Many of the words used in the Antiguan dialect are derived from British as well as African languages. This can be easily seen in phrases such as: "Me nah go" meaning "I am not going". Another example is: "Ent it?" meaning "Ain't it?" which is itself dialectical and means "Isn't it?". Common island proverbs often can be traced to Africa. Culture The culture is predominantly British: For example, cricket is the national sport and Antigua has produced several famous cricket players including Sir Vivian Richards, Anderson "Andy" Roberts, and Richard "Richie" Richardson. Other popular sports include football, boat racing and surfing (the Antigua Sailing Week attracts locals and visitors from all over the world). American popular culture and fashion also have a heavy influence. Most of the country's media is made up of major United States networks. Antiguans pay close attention to American fashion trends, and major designer items are available at boutiques in St. John's and elsewhere, although many Antiguans prefer to make a special shopping trip to St. Martin, North America, or San Juan in Puerto Rico. Family and religion play an important roles in the lives of Antiguans. Most attend religious services on Sunday, although there is a growing number of Seventh-day Adventists who observe the Sabbath on Saturday.[citation needed] The national Carnival held each August commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British West Indies, although on some islands, Carnival may celebrate the coming of Lent. Its festive pageants, shows, contests and other activities are a major tourist attraction. Calypso and soca music are important in Antigua and Barbuda.[citation needed] Corn and sweet potatoes play an important role in Antiguan cuisine. For example, a popular Antiguan dish, Dukuna (DOO-koo-NAH) is a sweet, steamed dumpling made from grated sweet potatoes, flour and spices. One of the Antiguan staple foods, fungi (FOON-ji), is a cooked paste made of cornmeal and water. See also: Cuisine of Antigua and Barbuda and Music of Antigua and Barbuda Media Up until April 2010 there were two daily newspapers: Daily Observer and Antigua Sun which also published newspapers on other Caribbean islands. Antigua Sun has seized operation in April. It has been in circulation for 13 years. Besides most American television networks, the local channel ABS TV 10 is available (it is the only station which shows exclusively local programs. There are also several local and regional radio stations. Sports See also: Cricket in the West Indies Antigua Recreation Ground Like many Commonwealth countries, cricket is the most popular sport. The 2007 Cricket World Cup was hosted in the West Indies from March 11 to April 28, 2007. Antigua hosted eight matches at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which was completed on February 11, 2007 and can hold up to 20,000 people. Antigua is a Host of Stanford Twenty20 – Twenty20 Cricket, a version started by Allen Stanford in 2006 as a regional cricket game with almost all Caribbean islands taking part. Antiguan Viv Richards scored the fastest Test Century and Brian Lara twice scored the World Test Record at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Association football is also a very popular sport. Antigua does have a national football team but it is inexperienced. They have also formed a professional team, Antigua Barracuda FC, which is slated to join the USL First Division in 2011. Athletics are popular. Talented athletes are trained from a young age, and Antigua and Barbuda has produced a few fairly adept athletes. Janill Williams, a young athlete with much promise comes from Gray's Farm, Antigua. Sonia Williams and Heather Samuel represented Antigua and Barbuda at the Olympic Games. Other prominent rising stars include Brendan Christian (100 m, 200 m), Daniel Bailey (100 m, 200 m) and James Grayman (high jump). Antigua can boast of some excellent tennis players, most notably Brian Philip #1 and Roberto Esposito #2 on the island for under-18 tournaments, who both are also involved in under-18 ITF tournaments. Their coach's (Eli Armstrong) daughter Keishora Armstrong, who will be turning 13 later this year, is the under-18's champion on the girls' circuit. Education The people of Antigua & Barbuda enjoy a more-than-90% literacy rate. In 1998, Antigua and Barbuda adopted a national mandate to become the pre-eminent provider of medical services in the Caribbean. As part of this mission, Antigua and Barbuda is building the most technologically advanced hospital in the Caribbean, the Mt. St. John Medical Centre. The island of Antigua currently has two medical schools, the American University of Antigua (AUA),[8] founded in 2004, and The University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA),[9] founded in 1982. There is also a government owned state college in Antigua as well as the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Information Technology (ABIIT). The University of the West Indies has a branch in Antigua for locals to continue University studies. Antigua has a number of international schools the foremost is Island Academy International school. Foreign Relations Main article: Foreign relations of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the United Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Caribbean Community, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Organization of American States, the World Trade Organization and the Eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System. Antigua and Barbuda is also a member of the International Criminal Court (with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of Protection for the US military as covered under Article 98). See also Caribbean portal Commonwealth realms portal English language edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Main article: Outline of Antigua and Barbuda Index of Antigua and Barbuda-related articles References ^ a b c d "Antigua and Barbuda". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=311&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=69&pr.y=2. Retrieved 2010-04-21.  ^ Krauss, Clifford; Creswell, Julie; Savage, Charlie (February 21, 2009). "Fraud Case Shakes a Billionaire's Caribbean Realm". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/business/21stanford.html. Retrieved April 14, 2010.  ^ "Background Note: Antigua and Barbuda". http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2336.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-23.  ^ "Antigua and Barbuda: International Religious Freedom Report 2006". 2006-09-15. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71445.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-23.  ^ http://www.bwanet.org/default.aspx?pid=1118 ^ http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/church_history/Southern%20Presbyterian%20History/no.%201%20The%20Beginnings.htm ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=VGF3wbzzy9QC&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=presbyterians+barbodos&source=bl&ots=2P3Ose4LM9&sig=S1CWqW0l4_swzcNAv6fcrzb6rAM&hl=en&ei=mKuKSvOxAYjosQPk4MHWDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false ^ "American University of Antigua, College of Medicine". http://www.auamed.org/. Retrieved 2007-08-23.  ^ "University of Health Sciences Antigua". http://www.uhsa.ag/. Retrieved 2007-08-23.  External links Find more about Antigua and Barbuda on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews Learning resources from Wikiversity The Official Website of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda Wikimedia Atlas of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda travel guide from Wikitravel Antigua and Barbuda, United States Library of Congress Antigua and Barbuda entry at The World Factbook Antigua and Barbuda from UCB Libraries GovPubs Antigua and Barbuda at the Open Directory Project World Bank's country data profile for Antigua and Barbuda ArchaeologyAntigua.org - 2010March13 source of archaeological information for Antigua and Barbuda [1]   Articles Related to Antigua and Barbuda v • d • e Antigua and Barbuda topics Government and politics Council · Elections · Flag · Foreign relations · Governor-General · House of Representatives · Military · Monarchy · Political parties · Prime Minister · Senate History Governors · West Indies Associated States Economy and infrastructure Communications · Dollar · Eastern Caribbean Central Bank · Trade unions · Transport Geography and environment Antigua · Barbuda · Birds · Cities · Mammals · Parishes and dependencies Cu