This island nation is made up of two main islands, Antigua and Barbuda, separated by about 40 kilometres (25 miles) of the Caribbean Sea. It also includes several tiny uninhabited islands such as Redonda, to the south. The island of Antigua is mostly low-lying; hills rise in the southwest. Barbuda is flatter. Both islands are covered by tropical trees, sandy soil and ringed by white beaches and lagoons. The islands have a warm, breezy climate and are mostly dry. Between September and November they are wetter, and sometimes at risk from hurricanes. For nearly 350 years, the islands were part of the British Empire.

People

Almost all the inhabitants are descended from enslaved Africans who worked on the islands’ tobacco and sugar plantations in the 17th and 18th centuries. They speak English; many people also speak Antiguan Creole, a mixture of English and African languages which has some slight variations across the two islands.
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Thousands of tourists visit the islands every year, attracted by the warm climate. Barbuda is known for its white, tropical beaches while Antigua attracts tourists to its luxury resorts. Tourism is in fact the biggest employer on the islands: many people work in hotels, restaurants, resorts or in other services. A number of foreign companies, such as banks, have their offices in Antigua.

Facts about Antigua and Barbuda

Population 100,963

Area 442 sq km

Highest Point Mt Obama 402 m (1319 ft)

Capital St John’s, population 27,000

Other major cities All Saints (pop. 5125)

Languages English

Religions Christian (Protestant) 76%, Christian (Roman Catholic) 10%, other Christian 5%, others 9%

Ethnicity black African / Caribbean 91%, mixed 4%, white 2%, others 3%

Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Chief exports petroleum, handicrafts, electronic components, trucks, vans, ships, vehicle parts