Antigua and Barbuda

I

Introduction

Antigua and Barbuda, an independent island nation located on the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea. The country comprises three main islands—Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda.

Antigua and Barbuda is one of the more prosperous of the Caribbean nations. The islands attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, and the nation’s economy is dependent on tourism. Antigua’s beaches are noted for their beauty. Cruise ships sailing the southern Caribbean often dock at the island. Numerous coral reefs and sunken ships surround Barbuda and Antigua, making for great snorkeling and diving.

Europeans first visited the islands when Christopher Columbus landed in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Antigua and Barbuda were British colonies from 1632 until they achieved independence in 1981. The majority of the population is descended from African slaves brought to the islands to work on cotton and sugar cane plantations, and the islands’ culture developed from a mixture of African, West Indian, and British influences.

II

Land and Climate

Antigua and Barbuda lies at the southern end of the Leeward Islands chain, which is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The country has a total area of 442 sq km (171 sq mi), of which Antigua accounts for 280 sq km (108 sq mi), Barbuda for 160.6 sq km (62 sq mi), and Redonda for 1.3 sq km (0.5 sq mi). The capital, largest town, and main port is Saint John’s, on Antigua. The country’s nearest neighbors are the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the west, Montserrat to the southwest, and Guadeloupe to the south.

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Antigua is low-lying with rolling hills made up of volcanic rock, coral, and limestone. Its highest point is Boggy Peak at 470 m (1,542 ft). The coastline is composed of coves and bays and is known for its 365 beaches. Barbuda is a flat coral island with areas of mangrove swamp and sandy beaches. Coral reefs encircle the island. Redonda is a small, uninhabited rocky islet.

The climate of the islands is tropical, but drier than that of the other Leeward Islands. Rainfall averages 1,000 mm (40 in) a year; other low-lying islands of the group receive about 1,250 to 2,000 mm (50 to 80 in). The wettest months are July to November. Temperatures range from 21° to 32°C (70° to 89°F), with the coolest months being January to March. The islands are at risk from tropical storms and hurricanes.

III

Plants and Animals

The native forest on Antigua was cleared by settlers to grow the sugarcane that was once the main export, and there are now few areas of woodland. Land animals are also scarce. However, the islands have a tremendous variety of birds, including many colorful tropical varieties. Barbuda has a colony of frigate birds, avian pirates who steal food from other birds; the males are known for the beauty of their puffed-up red chests. Hawksbill turtles, an endangered species, lay their eggs on the beach at Pasture Bay, Long Island, which lies just off Antigua.

IV

Population

Antigua and Barbuda has a total population of 69,481 (2007 estimate). The great majority of the population lives on Antigua; only about 2 percent lives on Barbuda. About 38 percent of the population lives in urban areas, primarily in the capital, Saint John’s (population, 2003 estimate, 27,516). Other large settlements on Antigua include All Saints (2,230) and Liberta (1,473). Codrington (1,200) is the only significant settlement on Barbuda. The population density is about 157 (406 per sq mi).

More than 91 percent of the population is black, descended from African slaves brought to work on the sugar plantations. Most of the remainder is of mixed ethnic origin or white, although there are also minorities of Syrian-Lebanese, East Asian, and Native American descent.

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