1 GeoFroggy

Antigua and Barbuda

Continent: Central America and the Caribbean

Geography

People &
Society

Government

Economy

Energy

Communications

Military &
Security

Transportation

Terrorism

Transnational Issues
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Background

The Siboney were the first people 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 Spanish and French settlements were succeeded by an English 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.

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Area Comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Maritime Claims

Territorialsea: 12 nm

Contiguouszone: 24 nm

Exclusiveeconomiczone: 200 nm

Continentalshelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate
Tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Natural Hazards

Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Environment Current Issues

Water management - a major concern because of limited natural freshwater resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

Environment International Agreements

Partyto: 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,butnotratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography Note

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor
Year

Map Reference

  • Central America and the Caribbean

Irrigated Land 2003

  • 1.3 sq km

Area 2014

  • Total
    442.6 sq km
  • Land
    442.6 sq km
  • Water
    0 sq km

Coastline

  • 153 km

Geographical Coordinates

  • 17 03 N, 61 48 W

Land use 2014

  • Arableland
    9.09%
  • Permanentcrops
    2.27%
  • Other
    88.64%

Terrain

  • Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands
  • With some higher volcanic areas

Land Boundaries

    0 km

Natural Resources

  • NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
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