General Overview
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.
Demographics
Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and Barbuda are located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 17 degrees north of the equator.
To the south are the islands of Montserrat and Guadaloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Martin.
Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda form the independent nation of Antigua and Barbuda, within the Commonwealth of Nations. English is the official language.
• Country name: Antigua and Barbuda
• Capital Name: Saint John's
• Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
• Population: 69,842 (July 2008 est.)
• Nationality: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
• Languages: English (official), local dialects
• Ethnic Groups: Black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
Economy
Tourism continues to be by far the dominant activity in the economy but the combined share in GDP of transport and communications, trade, and public utilities has increased markedly in recent years. Tourism's direct contribution to output in 1994 was about 20%.
In addition, increased tourist arrivals helped spur growth in the construction and transport sectors. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction.
Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about half of all tourist arrivals.
• GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.189 billion
• GDP - real growth rate: 3.8%
• GDP - per capita (PPP): $10,900
• Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5%
• Exports: $84.3 million
• Imports: $522.8 million
Government
Constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system of government. The reigning British monarch is represented in Antigua by an appointed governor general as the head of state. The government has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
• Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip.
• Legal system: Based on English common law.
• Independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK)
References
Government of Antigua & Barbuda - Official Website
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - The World Factbook
Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
Lonely Planet - Travel Guidebook
