Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands. The permanent population number approximately 85,000 (2010) and the capital and largest port and city is St. John’s, on Antigua.
Separated by a few nautical miles, Antigua and Barbuda are in the middle of the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles, roughly at 17 degrees north of the Equator. The country is nicknamed “Land of 365 Beaches” due to the many beaches surrounding the islands. Its governance, language, and culture have all been strongly influenced by the British Empire, which the country was formerly part of.
The island group constists of Antigua, Barbuda, Bird Island, Bishop Island, Blake Island, Cinnamon Island, Codrington Island, Crump Island, Dulcina Island, Exchange Island, Five Islands, Great Bird Island, Green Island, Guiana Island, Hale Gate Island, Hawes Island, Henry Island, Johnson Island, Kid Island, Laviscounts Island, Lobster Island, Long Island, Maid Island, Moor Island, Nanny Island, Pelican Island, Prickly Pear Island, Rabbit Island, Rat Island, Red Head Island, Redonda, Sandy Island, Smith Island, The Sisters, Vernon Island, Wicked Will Island and York Island.
Tourism dominates the economy, accounting for more than half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Antigua is famous for its many luxury resorts. Weak tourist activity since early 2000 has slowed the economy, however, and squeezed the government into a tight fiscal corner. Investment banking and financial services also make up an important part of the economy. Major world banks with offices in Antigua include the Bank of America (Bank of Antigua), Barclays, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Scotia Bank. Financial-services corporations with offices in Antigua include PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has accused the Antigua-based Stanford International Bank, owned by Texas billionaire Allen Stanford, of orchestrating a huge fraud which may have bilked investors of some $8 billion.
The culture is predominantly British: For example, cricket is the national sport and Antigua has produced several famous cricket players including Sir Vivian Richards, Anderson “Andy” Roberts, and Richard “Richie” Richardson. Other popular sports include football, boat racing and surfing (the Antigua Sailing Week attracts locals and visitors from all over the world). American popular culture and fashion also have a heavy influence. Most of the country’s media is made up of major United States networks.Many Antiguans prefer to make a special shopping trip to St. Martin, North America, or San Juan in Puerto Rico.
