Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation located inthe eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean . Antigua and Barbuda are part of the Lesser Antilles with the island of Guadeloupe to thesouth, Montserrat to the southwest, Saint Kitts and Nevis to the west and Saint Barthélemy to the northwest.

History

Main article: History of Antigua andBarbuda

The Siboney were the first to inhabitthe islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 BC , but Arawak and Carib Amerindian tribes populated the islandswhen Christopher 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 onAntigua, was abolished in 1834 . The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981 .

Politics

Main article: Politics of Antiguaand Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth Realm and the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented in Antigua and Barbuda bya governor general . Executive power is in the hands of the primeminister , who is also the head of government . The primeminister is usually the leader of the winning party of the elections for the House of Representatives (17 members), held everyfive years. The other chamber of the parliament , the Senate, has 17 memberswhich are appointed by the governor general.

Parishes and Dependencies

Main article: Parishes and dependencies of Antigua and Barbuda

The island of Antigua is separated into six parishes:

• Saint George
• Saint John
• Saint Mary
• Saint Paul
• Saint Peter
• Saint Philip

The island of Barbuda has the status of dependency, as does the tiny island of Redonda to the west.

Geography

Main article: Geography ofAntigua and Barbuda

The country consists of a number of islands, of which Antigua is the largest one,and the most populated. Barbuda , just north of Antigua is the other main island. Theislands have a warm, tropical climate , with fairly constant temperatures yearround.

The islands are mostly low-lying, with the highest point being Boggy Peak , at 402 m. The small country's main town is the capital Saint John's on Antigua; Barbuda'slargest town is Codrington .

Economy

Main article: Economy of Antigua andBarbuda

Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP . Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. Thedual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domesticmarket and constrained by a limited water supply and a labour shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction work.

Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with majorproducts being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue todepend on income growth in the industrialised world, especially in the UnitedStates , which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals.

Demographics

Main article: Demographicsof Antigua and Barbuda

Most of the population are descendants of the slaves that used to work in the sugar plantations, but there are also groups ofEuropeans, notably British and Portuguese . While the official language is English , most of the locals speak patois , a mixture of English, local languages and some other European languages.

Almost all Antiguans are Christians, with the Anglican Church (about 50%) being the largest denomination.

Miscellaneous topics

• Culture of Antigua and Barbuda
  • Music of Antigua and Barbuda
• Communications in Antiguaand Barbuda
• Transportation in Antiguaand Barbuda
• Military of Antigua andBarbuda
• Foreign relationsof Antigua and Barbuda

External links

• Antiguagov - Official governmental site
• Official Website Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism
• Maps of Antigua & Barbuda
• Library of Congress Portals on the World - Antigua andBarbuda
• CIA - The World Factbook -- Antigua and Barbuda - CIA 's Factbook on Antigua and Barbuda