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Antigua and Barbuda:
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Other pages in this profile of Antigua and Barbuda:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
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. |
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Location |
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico |
Geographic coordinates |
17 03 N, 61 48 W |
Map references |
Central America and the Caribbean |
Area |
total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km |
Area - comparative |
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries |
0 km |
Coastline |
153 km |
Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
Climate |
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation |
Terrain |
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas |
Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m |
Natural resources |
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism |
Land use |
arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
NA |
Natural hazards |
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts |
Environment - current issues |
water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note |
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |