10.14.2019
About Antigua
Antigua and Barbuda is a beautiful tropical island country. Antigua the main island is 14 miles long and 11miles wide inhabited by approximately 100,000 friendly, welcoming people and in-circled by 365 white-sand beaches. Hotels dotting the shoreline serve as the engine of development, as do cruise ports that welcomed the largest vessels in the world. Each year hundreds of thousands of cruise passengers will disembark for a day to enjoy the all year-round temperatures ranging between low 70’s to high 80’s, shop and enjoy the beaches and many do return as overnights guests. Tourism has now replaced the sugarcane industry as is now the key driver of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates around 60% of the island’s income, with key target markets being the U.S., Canada and Europe. The range of cultural activities and experiences available in Antigua Barbuda has broaden in the last 20 years through the influx of Caribbean people from other islands notably Jamaica, Guyana, Dominica, Dominican Republic and Montserrat. In addition, there has been major growth in the Lebanese, Syrian, Asian, North American and European segments of the population but these migrants are more active in the economic life of the country than in its popular culture.
Antigua and Barbuda is a part of the Leeward Islands in the lesser Antilles its history goes back thousands of years and 1981 it became an independent member state of the Commonwealth as well as a member of the United Nations, Caricom and the Organization of American States among many other international organizations.
Antigua and Barbuda is a constitutional monarchy, its systems of Government are predominantly patterned off the British system – the parliament, the Cabinet and the Courts. The London based Privy Council is the Country’s final Appellate Court. English is the official language in the country. There is an international airport with daily direct flights to and from Antigua to London, New York, Miami, Toronto and Latin America via Trinidad.
Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the United Nations, the British Commonwealth, Caricom and the Organisation of American States (OAS) among many other international organisations. Holders of the Antigua and Barbuda passport enjoy visa free travel to approximately 150 countries, including the U.K. and the countries of the Schengen area.