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NAVIGATION
Antigua and Barbuda
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico |
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 03 N, 61 48 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km land: 442 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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153 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin |
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Climate:
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tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism |
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Land use:
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arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 0% other: 81.82% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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67,448 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 28% (male 9,618; female 9,293)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 22,695; female 22,682) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 1,289; female 1,871) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.69% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-6.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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21.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 71.02 years
female: 73.45 years (2002 est.) male: 68.72 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.29 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan |
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Ethnic groups:
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black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian |
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Religions:
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Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some Roman Catholic) |
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Languages:
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English (official), local dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.) |