Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Leeward Islands. Antigua is center right and Barbuda is upper right. Source: NASA
Population
Antigua and Barbuda is a nation of eighty-eight thousand people composed of two major islands (Antigua and Barbuda named after the Spanish words for ancient and bearded respectively), along with a number of much smaller islands in the Caribbean Sea. Antigua and barbuda is part of the island group refered to as the Lesser Antillies and part of the region known as the Caribbean or the West Indies.
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Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches. Barbuda has a large western harbor.
Its major environmental issues include water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources. This issue is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly.
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.
Geography
Location: Between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Geographic Coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 W
Area: 442.6 square km of land (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km, Redonda, 1.6 sq km)
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Coastline: 153 km
Maritime Claims:
territorial sea: 12 nautical miles
contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles
exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles
continental shelf: 200 nautical miles or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural Hazards: Hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts.
Terrain: Mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas. The highest point is Boggy Peak (renamed Mount Obama in 2009) (402 meters). Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor.
Elevation Extremes:
Climate: Tropical maritime with little seasonal temperature variation. Antigua enjoys a semi-arid, tropical climate with an average annual rainfall range of 1,070 - 1,140 mm, unevenly distributed with peaks during the months of October to December and extended periods of drought during March to June. Barbuda is drier with average annual rainfall ranging between 760 - 990 mm. Droughts occur every five to ten years. When several low-rainfall years occur consecutively, the country faces critical water shortages. In 1983-84 water had to be imported from other countries.
The island of Antigua shows severely eroded volcanic remnants along its forested southwestern quadrant. Although Antigua receives approximately 100 cm (40 in) of precipitation annually, wide fluctuations in rainfall amounts occasionally create serious water shortages, especially for the agricultural industry. St. John's, the country's capital, is located along the northwest coast, adjacent to one of the island's many natural harbors. More than half of the country's population lives in the St. John's area. Image courtesy of NASA.
Ecology and Biodiversity
See Leeward Islands moist forests
Small southern portions of Antigua have a forest ecoregion known as the Leeward Islands moist forests ecoregion. This ecoregion is found in various proportions on the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands and is characterized by rugged, volcanic mountains covered in moist tropical forest.
Government
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a Commonwealth realm
Capital: Saint John's - 27,000 (2009)
Independence Date: 1 November 1981 (from the UK)
Legal System: Based on English common law
International Environmental Agreements
Antigua and Barbuda is party to international agreements on 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, and Whaling.
People and Society
Population: 87,884 (July 2011 est.)
Ethnic groups: black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 11,530/female 11,174)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 27,599/female 31,592)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 2,592/female 3,397) (2011 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 1.289% (2011 est.)
Birthrate: 16.31 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death Rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net Migration Rate: 2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth: 75.48 years (2011 est.)
Total Fertility Rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Languages: English (official), local dialects
Literacy: 85.8% (2003 est.)
Urbanization: 30% of total population (2010) growing at an annual rate of change of 1.4% (2010-15 est.)
Water
See Water profile of Antigua and Barbuda
Water management is a major concern in Antigua and Barbuda because of limited natural fresh water resources. This issue is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly. The total average rainfall for both islands is estimated at 453 million m3/year and internal renewable water resources (IRWR) about 52 million m3/year. There are no perennial water sources in the country. At present the country's agricultural and municipal (domestic and commercial) water demands are being met by two desalination plants (total capacity 3.3 million m3/year); three surface dams, numerous small ponds and 5 well fields (total capacity 2.8 millions of m3/year). Individual residences have cisterns which provide part or all of the household water needs. The amount of water collected through this method is not known.
Water for Barbuda is supplied from a single well that serves Codrington where most of the population lives. The groundwaters are generally saline with the notable exception of Palmetto Sands, a 600 ha area of beach sands on the southwestern shore.
Total Renewable Water Resources: 0.1 cu km (2000)
Freshwater Withdrawal (domestic, industrial, agricultural): total: 0.005 cu km/yr (domestic 60%; industrial 20%; agricultural 20%). Per capita: 63 cubic metes/year (1990)
Agriculture
Over the past 15-20 years, agriculture recorded a steady decline in growth from 15% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1980 to 4.5% of GDP in 1996. Agriculture is dominated by livestock. More than 75% of livestock production of Antigua is carried out in the Central Plains and the North-Eastern Limestone Formation. Barbuda is devoted entirely to livestock production with the exception of a few agricultural stations and fenced farming areas. Tourism is now the major foreign exchange earner, contributing 65% of GDP.
Agricultural products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Economy
Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment.
The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure 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 tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and potential damages from natural disasters.
After taking office in 2004, the Spencer government adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, and was successful in reducing its public debt-to-GDP ratio from 120% to about 90% in 2008.
However, the global financial crisis that began in 2008, has led to a significant increase in the national debt, which topped 130% at the end of 2010.
The Antiguan economy experienced solid growth from 2003 to 2007, reaching over 12% in 2006 driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing associated with the Cricket World Cup, but growth dropped off in 2008 with the end of the boom.
In 2009, Antigua's economy was severely hit by the global economic crisis, suffering from the collapse of its largest financial institution and a steep decline in tourism. This decline continued in 2010 as the country struggled with a yawning budget deficit.
GDP: (Purchasing Power Parity): $1.425 billion (2010 est.)
GDP: (Official Exchange Rate): $1.105 billion (2010 est.)
GDP- per capita (PPP): $16,400 (2010 est.)
GDP- composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.9%
industry: 33.2%
services: 62.9% (2010 est.)
Industries: Tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances).
Currency: East Caribbean dollars (XCD)
Further Reading
Citation
World Wildlife Fund, Central Intelligence Agency (Lead Author);CIA World Factbook (Content Source);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Antigua and Barbuda". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth May 8, 2009; Last revised Date January 29, 2012; Retrieved February 9, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Antigua_and_Barbuda>
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