Overview
The Siboney were the first people to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but the Arawaks populated the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English colony in 1667. Slavery, which provided labor on the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the island of Barbuda, devastating the island and forcing the evacuation of the population to Antigua. Almost all of the structures on Barbuda were destroyed and the vegetation stripped, but Antigua was spared the worst.
Geography
- Location
- Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
- Total Area
- 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
- Climate
- tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
- Terrain
- mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
- Natural Resources
- NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
- Coastline
- 153 km
- Land Borders
- 0 km
People & Society
- Population
- 102,634 (2024 est.)
- Languages
- English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)
- Religions
- Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- African descent 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, Hispanic 2.7%, White 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
- Life Expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024 est.)
- Urbanization
- 24.3% of total population (2023)
Government
- Government Type
- parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
- Capital
- Saint John's
- Independence
- 1 November 1981 (from the UK)
- Constitution
- several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (The Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981)
- Legal System
- common law based on the English model
- Executive Branch
- King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Rodney WILLIAMS (since 14 August 2014)
Economy
- Economic Overview
- dual island-tourism and construction-driven economy; emerging blue economy ; limited water supply and susceptibility to hurricanes limit activity; improving road infrastructure; friendly to foreign direct investment; looking at financial innovation in cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies
- GDP (Official Rate)
- $2.225 billion (2024 est.)
- Major Industries
- tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)