Antigua and Barbuda

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.
==Economical characteristics==
* Currency: East Caribbean dollar (ISO code: XCD)
* This country does not seem to have a central bank.
* Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2008)
* Commercial banks lending rate: 10.43% (31 December 2008)
* Stock of money (M1): $296.4 million (31 December 2008)
* Quasi money (with M1 makes M2): $939.9 million (31 December 2008)
===Statistics===
Statistic / Year 	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006 	2007 	2008
GDP (million USD)World Bank. "Antigua and Barbuda: GDP", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-30. 	652 	664 	696 	714 	753 	815 	868 	1 003	1 155	1 217
Govt. debt (% of GDP)World Bank. "Antigua and Barbuda: government debt", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-30. 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Govt. revenue (% of GDP)World Bank. "Antigua and Barbuda: government revenue", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-30. 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Govt. expenses (% of GDP)World Bank. "Antigua and Barbuda: government expenses", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-30.	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Debt to revenue (years) 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
Note: statistical data was rounded. Different sources may use different methodologies for their estimates. Debt to revenue is calculated by dividing the two variables from their original ('unrounded') values. It represents how long it would a government take to repay its entire debt if it used its whole revenue for this purpose.
==External links==
* Antigua and Barbuda on Wikipedia
* BBC country profile
Category:Countries