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Antigua and Barbuda

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Antigua and Barbuda
Motto: "Each Endeavouring, All Achieving"
Anthem: Fair Antigua, We Salute Thee
Royal anthem: God Save the Queen 1
Location of Antigua and Barbuda
Capital
and largest city
Saint John's
Official languagesEnglish
GovernmentFederal constitutional monarchy
Elizabeth II
Sir James Carlisle
Baldwin Spencer
Independence 
from the United Kingdom
• Date
November 1, 1981
• Water (%)
negligible
Population
• 2005 estimate
81,479 (197th)
GDP (PPP)2005 estimate
• Total
US$750 million (170th)
• Per capita
US$11,523 (59th)
HDI (2004)Increase 0.808
Error: Invalid HDI value (59th)
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zoneUTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)
UTC-3 (ADT)
Calling code268
ISO 3166 codeAG
Internet TLD.ag
  1. God Save The Queen is officially a national anthem but is generally used only on regal and vice-regal occasions.

Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation located in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. This country has two major islands: Antigua (IPA: [ænˈtiːgə]) and Barbuda (IPA: [bɑrˈbjuːdə]). They are located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 17 degrees north of the equator. Antigua and Barbuda are part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago with the islands of Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago to the south, Montserrat to the southwest, Saint Kitts and Nevis to the west and Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin and Anguilla to the northwest.

History

Main article: History of Antigua and Barbuda

Pre-ceramic Amerindians were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 BC. Later Arawak and Carib Amerindian tribes populated the islands. The island of Antigua was named Wadadli by these natives. Christopher Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493 and named the island Santa Maria la Antigua after a church in Seville, Spain. Early settlement by the Spanish was replaced by English rule from 1632, with a French interlude in 1666. Subsequently Irish Catholic slaves were transported to Antigua [citation needed]. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834.

The islands became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 November 1981, and Vere Bird became the first prime minister.

Politics

File:Flag of the OECS.svg
Antigua and Barbuda is a full member of the OECS.
Main article: Politics of Antigua and Barbuda

The politics of Antigua and Barbuda takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. A Governor-General is appointed by the Queen (or other reigning monarch) of England. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the Parliament. The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (seventeen-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (seventeen seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms). The last elections held were on 23 March 2004 for the House of Representatives; the next are due in 2009. The Antigua Labour Party won four seats, while the United Progressive Party won thirteen.

Government

Since 1949 the party system had been dominated by the personalist Antigua Labour Party. However the Antigua and Barbuda legislative election, 2004, saw the defeat of the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. The Prime Minister, Lester Bird, had been in office since 1994, when he succeeded his father, Vere Bird. The elder Bird had been Prime Minister from independence in 1981, and before independence had been Chief Minister of Antigua from 1960, except for the period 1971-76.

Structure

The Head of State is the Queen, who is represented by the Governor-General. A Council of Ministers is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister. The Judicial Branch is the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction). Antigua is also a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Supreme Court of Appeal was the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, up until 2001, when the nations of the Caribbean Community voted to abolish the right of appeal to the Privy Council in favour of a Caribbean Court of Justice. Some debate between member countries had repeatedly delayed the court's date of inauguration. As of March, 2005, only Barbados was set to replace the process of appeals of Her Majesty in Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice which then had come into operation.

Military

The Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force is the smallest military in the world, with only 170 members.

Parishes and dependencies

Main article: Parishes and dependencies of Antigua and Barbuda

The island of Antigua is divided into six parishes:

Name Population
1. St. George 4,473
2. St. John 14,121
3. St. Mary 5,303
4. St. Paul 6,117
5. St. Peter 3,622
6. St. Philip 2,964
The Parishes of Antigua
The Parishes of Antigua

The island of Barbuda (1,241) and the uninhabited island of Redonda each enjoy dependency status.

The capital is the city of St. John's (population 21,514).

Geography

Main article: Geography of Antigua and Barbuda

The country consists of a number of islands, of which Antigua is the largest one, and the most populated. Barbuda, just north of Antigua is the other main island. The islands have a warm, tropical climate, with fairly constant temperatures year round. Redonda – annexed in the 1860s when Phosphate reserves were noted, unoccupied since 1930 also belongs to the nation of Antigua and Barbuda.

The islands are mostly low-lying, with the highest point being Boggy Peak, at 402 metres (1,319 ft). The small country's main town is the capital Saint John's on Antigua; Barbuda's largest town is Codrington. The local people like to say that Antigua has 365 beaches.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Antigua and Barbuda

Tourism dominates its economy, accounting for more than half of its GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labour shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction work.

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 industrialised world, especially in the United States, which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals.

Demographics

File:St. John's Catherdral.JPG
St. John's Cathedral
Main article: Demographics of Antigua and Barbuda

The majority of the population comprises people of African or mixed African and European (predominately British) ancestry. There is a minority of people of Portuguese and mixed Portuguese and African ancestry, due to Portuguese indentured servants brought to the West Indies after the abolition of slavery. The remainder of the population comprises of Europeans, notably Irish, British and Portuguese, and Christian Levantine Arabs (primarily of Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian descent). There is also a small population of Sephardic Jews.

An increasingly large percent of the population live abroad, most notably in the United States, Canada, and England. A minority of the Antiguan residents are immigrants from other countries, particularly Dominica, Guyana and Jamaica.

Almost all Antiguans are Christians (97%[1]), with the Anglican Church (about 44%) being the largest denomination. Catholicism is the other significant denomination, with the remainder being other Protestants: including Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodists, Moravians, Pentecostals and Seventh-Day Adventists. Non-Christian religions practiced on the islands include Rastafari, Islam, Judaism, and Baha'i.

Language

The official language of Antigua and Barbuda is English, but many of the locals speak Antiguan Creole. The Barbudan accent is slightly different from the Antiguan one.

In the years before Antigua and Barbuda's independence, Standard English was widely spoken in preference to Antiguan Creole, but afterwards Antiguans began treating Antiguan Creole as a respectable aspect of their culture. Generally, the upper and middle classes shun Antiguan Creole. The educational system dissuades use of Antiguan Creole and instruction is done in Standard (British) English. The higher up one goes on the socio economic ladder, the less prevalent Antiguan Creole becomes, to the extent that some Antiguans will even deny that they speak or understand Antiguan Creole

Many of the words used in the Antiguan dialect are derived from English and also African origins. The dialect was formed when slaves owned by English planters imitated the 18th century English spoken by their masters but failed to pronounce it correctly. This can be easily seen in some phrases like: "Me nah go" meaning "I am not going". Another example is: "Ent it?" meaning "Ain't it?" which is in itself dialect and means "Isn't it?". Common island proverbs often can be traced to Africa.

Culture

The culture is predominantly British which is evident throughout many aspects of the society. American popular culture also has a heavy influence. Family and religion play an important role in the lives of Antiguans. There is a national Carnival celebration during the month of August each year: historically Carnival commemorates the abolition of slavery in the British West Indies. The annual Carnival includes pageants, shows, contests and festive activities, and is a notable tourist attraction.

Media

There are two daily newspapers: Daily Observer, and Antigua Sun which also publishes newspapers on other Caribbean islands. Most American television networks are available in addition to the local television stations. There are several local and regional radio stations.

Sport

Cricket is very popular in Antigua and Barbuda, along with most Commonwealth nations. The 2007 Cricket World Cup was hosted in the West Indies from 11 March to 28 April 2007. Antigua hosted eight matches at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which was handed over by the Chinese Government on 11 February 2007, and holds 20,000 people at full capacity.

Football (soccer) is also a very popular sport. Antigua has a national football team, albeit inexperienced.

Athletics is also big in Antigua. Talented athletes identified in schools are trained from a young age and Antigua has produced one or two fairly adept athletes. Janill Williams, a young athlete with much promise hails from Grey's Farm, Antigua. Also, there is Sonia Williams and Heather Samuel who have represented Antigua at the Olympic Games. Others to watch are Brendan Christian (100 m, 200 m), Daniel Bailey (100 m, 200 m) and James Grayman (High Jump).

Cuisine

The national dish is fungie (pronounced "foon-gee") and pepper pot. Fungie is a dish very similar to the Italian Polenta, and is almost completely made from cornmeal. Other local dishes include ducana, season rice, Saltfish and lobster (from Barbuda). There are also local confectionaries which include: sugarcake, fudge, raspberry and tamarind stew and peanut brittle.

Although these foods are indigenous to Antigua and Barbuda and to some other Caribbean countries, the local diet has diversified and now include the local dishes of Jamaica (e.g. jerk pork), Guyana (e.g. Roti) and other Caribbean countries. Chinese restaurants have also begun to become more mainstream. The supermarkets sell a wide variety of food, from American to Italian. Meals also vary depending on social class.

Lunches here typically include a starch, like rice/macaroni/pasta, vegetables/salad, an entree (fish, chicken, pork, beef etc.) and a side dish like macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes or plantains. Local drinks are mauby, seamoss, tamarind juice, raspberry juice, mango juice, lemonade, coconut milk etc. Adults favor beers and rums, many of which are made locally.

Sunday is the main day most go to church in the country and is the day when the culture is mostly reflected in the food. For breakfast one might have saltfish, eggplant (aka troba), eggs and lettuce.

Dinner on Sundays is eaten earlier (around 2:00 pm) because parents are usually off from work and can stay home and cook. It may include pork, baked chicken, stewed lamb, or turkey, alongside rice (prepared in a variety of ways), macaroni pie, salads, and a local drink. Dessert may be ice cream and cake or an apple pie (mango and pineapple pie in their season) or Jello.

Education

The people of Antigua & Barbuda have a high level of education with over 90% of the people being literate. The island of Antigua currently has two medical schools: American University of Antigua College of Medicine (AUA)[2], which was founded in early 2000, is an offshore school which accepts students mainly from the US and Canada. The other is The University of Health Sciences Antigua (UHSA)[3], a privately endowed institution founded in 1982. The University is chartered by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

There is also a government owned state college in Antigua as well as the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Information Technology (ABIIT). The University of the West Indies has a branch in Antigua for locals to continue University studies.

With the onset of the Internet, more Antiguans are completing online degrees.

Notables

Facts

  • Antigua was an important port to Great Britain in the days of sailing ships. Because of its unique position in relation to the trade winds, it was easy for ships to enter, but difficult to leave the port. Therefore, when enemy ships tried to retreat back out to sea, they could more easily be caught by the British Navy.
  • The Antigua Racer Snake is the rarest snake in the world, with only about two hundred living. It is found on Great Bird Island, an island off the coast of Antigua.
  • Antigua and Barbuda claim to collectively have 365 beaches, one for every day in the year. This has never been tested and is taken lightly as humour.
  • Vere Cornwall Bird, Antigua and Barbuda's first Prime Minister, is accredited to have brought Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean into a new era of independence.
  • Antigua and Barbuda has been named the best Island Wedding Destination in the twelfth annual International Caribbean World Awards, and has been cited by the Guinness World Records as having the most marriages per capita.
  • Antigua's English Harbour Rum has been named one of The Best Rums in the World by Forbes Magazine.
  • Claudette Peters, Antigua and Barbuda's Soca princess has been awarded Best New Female Artist at the International Soca Awards 2006.
  • Young Destroyer, an Antiguan calypsonian is now crowned the Calypso King of the World after winning the CARIFESTA Calypso Competition in September 2006 in Trinidad.
  • Eric Clapton, musician, has founded a Rehabilitation Clinic, the The Crossroads Centre, in Antigua which has seen celebrity visitors like Whitney Houston.
  • Giorgio Armani, fashion designer, has a million dollar mansion in Antigua.
  • The English pop band Duran Duran shot the video for their 1980s hit "Rio" in Antigua.
  • In 2007 Antigua and Barbuda was placed in the 10 best Spring Weekend Vacations.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Caribbean Community, United Nations, World Trade Organization, Commonwealth of Nations, Organization of American States, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and the Eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System.

Antigua and Barbuda is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).

See also

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References

  • "Antigua and Barbuda". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency.
Look up antigua and barbuda in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

17°03′N 61°48′W / 17.050°N 61.800°W / 17.050; -61.800

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