Located 250 miles Southeast of Puerto Rico in the Eastern Caribbean, the islands of Antigua and Barbuda are 280 sq. km. (108 sq. mi.) and 161 sq. km. (62 sq. mi.) respectively. Antigua boasts of having 365 beaches – one for each day of the year. The beaches are very spectacular as most of them are protected by coral reefs and the sand is often white. St. John’s is the capital. The population currently stands at 85,632.
The economy is small and open and is driven primarily by tourism which is the main economic activity for both islands. The direct and indirect inputs of tourism account for more than half of GDP. Fishing, Forestry and Agriculture sectors account for about 4% of employment and GDP.
Real GDP grew by 2.2% in 2008. The country provides a hospitable environment and generous incentives to encourage foreign investment. Over 90% of the population is literate. Antigua & Barbuda's official language is English. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), exchanging at US$1.00 for EC$2.70.
