Antigua and Barbuda

Known as the 'Land of 365 Beaches', Antigua (pronounced An‐tee'ga) and Barbuda is a twin‐island country, located in the eastern Caribbean, at the southern end of the Leeward Islands chain. Antigua is about 23 km long and 18 km wide, encompassing 280 km², including the capital city, Saint John's. The highest point on Antigua is Mount Obama (402 m), known as Boggy Peak until 2009. Barbuda is a flat coral island with an area of only 161 km². The nation also includes the small (1.6 km²) uninhabited island of Redonda, which is now a nature preserve.

With a tropical maritime climate, there is little variation in seasonal temperatures, and steady south‐easterly breezes. The hurricane season is from June to September. The islands receive a mean annual rainfall of some 2 500 mm, with October and November being the wettest months. With no rivers or springs, droughts are not uncommon. There is generally low humidity year around. Average monthly temperatures range between 25 to 27 °C. -—
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—- The country is fourth on the list of most at‐risk countries according to the United Nations University -—
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—- World Risk Index.

Agriculture, once the mainstay of the economy, has been largely supplanted by tourism. Sugarcane was once the dominant crop on Antigua but is now insignificant. Today, fruit and vegetables, including citrus fruits, mangoes and eggplants are cultivated on the islands. Manufacturing plays a small role in the economy; most activity involves processing agricultural products and making clothing and textiles and concrete blocks. Manufactured exports mainly consist of iron, steel and shipping equipment. Shipping trade has also become important, and the country possesses one of the most important freight hubs in the Caribbean. Services account for almost three quarters of GDP. -—
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—- Tourism and financial services have turned the country into one of the more prosperous in the Caribbean. The contribution of travel and tourism to the economy is significant with over 1 million annual tourist arrivals each year from 2017 to 2019, and the inbound tourism expenditure reaching almost 45 per cent over GDP in 2019 -—
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The national dish is fungie (pronounced 'foon‐jee') made from cornmeal and pepper pot.

The nation's abundant coral reefs attract many snorkelers and scuba divers. Cricket is the favourite sport in Antigua and Barbuda, which has produced some of the greatest names in cricket, like Sir Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts and Riche Richardson. Other popular sports on the island include sport fishing, windsurfing and kite‐surfing. While English is the official language, many people speak Antiguan Creole.

The Antigua and Barbuda Carnival is often organised as a ten‐day festival featuring colourful costumes, beauty pageants, talent shows, and music. Steel drum music is an important part of the Carnival, and Antigua and Barbuda is home to many Caribbean steel bands. Soca is another typical type of music featured that grafts the slower beat of soul music onto the fast tempo of calypso. Reggae is also very popular and has been part of the Antigua and Barbudan music scene for a long time.