Antigua and Barbuda — map and facts

About Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a sovereign island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea, part of the Lesser Antilles. Its capital and largest city is St. John's, located on the island of Antigua. The country has a population of approximately 100,000 people and became independent from Britain on 1 November 1981. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, with King Charles III as head of state represented by a Governor-General. The economy relies heavily on tourism, which accounts for the majority of GDP, supplemented by financial services. Antigua is home to Nelson's Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former British naval base. The country is governed as a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It is also part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM. English is the official language, and the Eastern Caribbean dollar is the currency.

Geography and Landscape

Antigua and Barbuda consists of three main islands: Antigua, Barbuda, and the uninhabited rocky outcrop of Redonda. Antigua is the largest at roughly 280 square kilometres and is characterised by a dry, relatively flat limestone interior with a deeply indented coastline offering numerous natural harbours and around 365 beaches. The island has no major rivers, and freshwater has historically been scarce. Barbuda lies approximately 40 kilometres to the north of Antigua and is a low-lying coral island known for its pink-sand beaches and large frigate bird sanctuary. The climate is tropical with a dry season from December to April and a wet season from May to November. The islands sit within the Atlantic hurricane belt and have experienced several devastating storms, including Hurricane Irma in 2017, which caused catastrophic damage to Barbuda, temporarily displacing its entire population.

History

The islands were originally inhabited by the Siboney, followed by the Arawak and later the Carib peoples. Christopher Columbus sighted Antigua in 1493 on his second voyage and named it after the Church of Santa María la Antigua in Seville. Permanent English settlement began in 1632, and Barbuda was leased to the Codrington family from 1685, who used it for provisioning their sugar estates. Sugar cultivation, relying on enslaved African labour, dominated the economy for centuries. Emancipation came in 1834, and full freedom followed in 1838. Antigua and Barbuda became part of the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962, then achieved associated statehood with Britain in 1967 before full independence in 1981. The country was largely built under the long political leadership of Vere Cornwall Bird and the Antigua Labour Party. Modern Antigua and Barbuda continues to navigate the challenges of climate vulnerability and economic dependence on tourism.