Antigua and Barbuda ( Antigua and Barbuda) is a country in Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico. Antigua and Barbuda geographic coordinates 17 03 N, 61 48 W; area l; area comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries 0 km; coastline 153 km; maritime claims 20; climate tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; terrain mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas; elevation extremes Boggy Peak 402 m; natural resources NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism; land use 77.27% (2001); irrigated land NA; natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts; environment current issues water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; geography note Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor;

introduction

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib 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. government type constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament; capital Saint John's (Antigua); administrative divisions 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip; independence 1 November 1981 (from UK); national holiday Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981); constitution 1 November 1981; legal system based on English common law; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Antigua and Barbuda population 68,722 (July 2005 est.); age structure 4.1% (male 1,085/female 1,727) (2005 est.); median age 30.15 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 0.57% (2005 est.); birth rate 17.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -6.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 74.38 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality Antiguan, Barbudan; ethnic groups black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian; religions Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some Roman Catholic); languages English (official), local dialects; literacy 88% (1960 est.);

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