Disputes - international:

the Antarctic Treaty freezes, and most states do not recognize, the
land and maritime territorial claims made by Argentina, Australia,
Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom (some
overlapping) for three-fourths of the continent; the US and Russia
reserve the right to make claims; no claims have been made in the
sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; the
International Whaling Commission created a sancturary around the
entire continent to deter catches by countries claiming to conduct
scientific whaling; Australia has established a similar preserve in
the waters around its territorial claim

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction
Antigua and Barbuda

Background:

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and
Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak 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
Antigua and Barbuda

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
land: 442.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

153 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher
volcanic areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Natural resources:

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:

arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land: