ANTIGUA and Barbuda

INTRODUCTION TO THE LEEWARD ISLANDS

Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and Barbuda (pronounced bar-byou-dah) 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 Guadeloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Martin.

Antigua, the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, encompassing 108 square miles. Its highest point is Boggy Peak (1319 ft.), located in the southwestern corner of the island. Antigua's sister island, Barbuda, is a flat coral island with an area of only 68 square miles and lies approximately 30 miles due north of Antigua. The nation, as the islands are called, also includes the tiny (0.6 square mile) uninhabited island of Redonda, now a nature preserve. The current population for the nation is approximately 68,000 and its capital is St. John's on Antigua.

Antigua's tourist office boasts that the island has 365 beaches, "one for each day of the year." The island is known for its warm, steady winds, a complex coastline of safe harbors, a tremendous wealth of secluded, powdery soft beaches and a protective, nearly unbroken wall of coral reef. The coral reefs, once the bane of marauding enemy ships, now attract snorkelers and scuba divers from all over the world.

ECONOMY

Antigua and Barbuda's service-based economy grew by 3.8% in 2007, experiencing its third consecutive year of strong growth. Tourism accounted for more than half of GDP. Government services also represented key sources of employment and income and were contributors to economic growth. Agriculture: The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market (fish, cotton, livestock, vegetables, and pineapples) but the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages to tourism and construction. A construction boom in hotels and housing in recent years also helped the economy, as well as projects related to the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Banking, and other financial services. In 1999 the budding offshore financial sector was seriously hurt by financial sanctions imposed by the United States and United Kingdom as a result of the loosening of its money-laundering controls. The government has made efforts to comply with international demands in order to get the sanctions lifted.

Antigua has been diversifying its economy in order to lessen its vulnerability to natural disasters and economic shocks. Transportation, communications, Internet gambling and financial services are becoming important.

THE PEOPLE OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
In 2008 the combined Antiguan and Barbudan population was estimated at 69,842. Ethnic groups: Almost entirely of African origin; some of British, Portuguese, and Levantine Arab origin. Religions: Christian (predominantly Anglican and other Protestant; some Roman Catholic). Literacy rate: 85.8% (2003 est.) Health (2008): Infant mortality rate--10/1,000. Life expectancy--men 70 years; women 74 years.

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