Karl WP Beyer More than 500 kilometers as the crow flies southeast of Puerto Rico, on the dividing line between the Atlantic and the Caribbean, lies the small island state of Antigua and Barbuda, which belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations. The form of state and government is a constitutional-parliamentary monarchy. The head of state is King Charles III.
Antigua and Barbuda - country flag
Article overview Antigua
Under the motto “Each endeavouring, all achieving”, which means something like “Everyone makes an effort, then everyone is successful”, the almost 100.000 inhabitants (projection 2022) live under the Caribbean sun.
Antigua - a country blessed by the sun
Antigua and Barbuda – Interesting facts
The 442 square kilometer mini-state consists of the two main islands of Antigua (281 square kilometers) and Barbuda (161 square kilometers) as well as several insignificant islands. The island's capital, Saint John's, is located on Antigua. With more than 50.000 residents, Saint John's is the largest city in the country. Less than 2.000 people live in Barbuda.
Antigua - View of Saint John's
Climatic conditions
Due to the location, the climate is tropical. The average temperatures range between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius. The annual rainfall measured is rather moderate at up to 1.000 millimeters for tropical regions.
Antigua's tropical green landscape
History
The history of the islands goes back a long way. It is assumed that Indians first settled on the islands around 10.000 BC. They were later followed by the Carib tribe. Christopher Columbus was the first Western European to land on Antigua in 1493. In Columbus's wake, the Spanish, French and British went down in the history of the islands as colonizers. Pirates also liked to use the archipelago as a retreat.
The islands present themselves to visitors as a green paradise. At the time of colonial rule, however, Antigua was anything but paradisiacal. Sugar cane was cultivated for centuries. An unpleasant addition: the cultivation of sugar cane was based on slave labor. Then, after slavery was abolished in the 19th century, sugar production gradually lost value. The islands sank into insignificance and poverty.
Tourism – the new sugar cane
Expanding tourism created new and continuous sources of income. Around 60 percent of GDP can currently be attributed to tourism. Other sources of income: The country has also made a name for itself as a cheap flag state. Almost 900 German seagoing ships alone sail under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. Revenue also comes from the booming offshore financial sector. – Travelers are generally not interested in these things. The decisive factors for him are first-class hotels, a varied Creole cuisine, the 365 fine sandy beaches and a wide range of entertainment options.
Antigua - cruise ship berth in Saint John's
Saint John's - Shopping in front of a ship backdrop
Antigua – destination for cruise ships
Several hundred cruise ships visit the island of Antigua every year. Up to four cruise ships dock in the heart of the island's capital, Saint John's. The moorings are Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay. – Activities include island tours, beach stays and shopping. Under Antigua sightseeing we present the most striking topics on the island. Under Beach break at Jolly Beach and Beach day at Dickenson Bay let's describe our beach experiences.
Update April 2024