Antigua and Barbuda sits in the middle of the Leeward Islands chain, positioned where Atlantic swells meet Caribbean water. The twin-island nation covers 440 square kilometers total. Antigua accounts for 281 square kilometers, Barbuda for 161, and Redonda is an uninhabited rock dependency of 1.6 square kilometers. The islands lie roughly 40 kilometers apart. St. John's, the capital on Antigua's northwest coast, holds approximately 22,000 residents of the nation's 97,000 population. This is not a large country by population or land area. Tourism generates approximately 60 percent of GDP and employs half the workforce. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom on November 1, 1981.
Antigua markets itself using the phrase "365 beaches," suggesting one for every day of the year. No official count exists to verify this number. The coastline does possess numerous beaches due to the island's irregular shape with many bays and headlands. Most sand is white or pink coral-derived material. Half Moon Bay on Antigua's southeast coast curves for approximately 1.6 kilometers. Darkwood Beach on the west coast offers calmer water protected from Atlantic swells. Barbuda's beaches face less development. The island sustained severe damage when Hurricane Irma passed directly over on September 6, 2017, with sustained winds of 285 kilometers per hour. The government evacuated Barbuda's entire population of approximately 1,800 to Antigua. Rebuilding continues.
The climate is tropical marine, moderated by northeast trade winds. Annual rainfall averages 1,000 millimeters, lower than many Caribbean islands. The driest months run February through April. Hurricane season spans June through November, with September peak risk. Temperatures range from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius year-round. Antigua's interior reaches 402 meters at Boggy Peak, renamed Mount Obama in 2009 to honor the United States president. The elevation provides minimal climate variation. Water temperature stays between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. The islands lack rivers. Antigua historically faced chronic water shortages until reverse osmosis desalination plants were installed.
English Harbour on Antigua's southern coast functioned as Britain's main Caribbean naval base during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Royal Navy stationed warships there to protect sugar trade routes and intercept enemy vessels. Admiral Horatio Nelson commanded the British squadron from 1784 to 1787, establishing headquarters at what is now Nelson's Dockyard. The Georgian naval buildings have been restored and the dockyard remains operational as a yachting center. Fifteen stone and wooden buildings survive, including officers' quarters, a boat house, and a copper and lumber store. Shirley Heights, a military fortification 150 meters above the harbor, provided defensive positioning. Fort Berkeley guards the harbor entrance. These sites form a UNESCO World Heritage tentative list submission under the title "Nelson's Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites."
Sugar dominated the economy from British colonization in 1632 until the mid-20th century. African enslaved people were brought to work plantations. Emancipation came August 1, 1834, though apprenticeship systems extended forced labor until 1838. Betty's Hope, established in 1650, became one of Antigua's largest sugar estates. Two windmill towers survive. Sugar production ended there in 1920. The plantation ruins are now an open-air museum. The last Antiguan sugar factory closed in 1972. Physical evidence of the plantation economy remains visible across the landscape in ruined windmills, estate houses, and stone walls. The demographic legacy is that approximately 87 percent of the current population claims African descent.
Codrington Lagoon on Barbuda holds the Caribbean's largest frigate bird colony. Estimates place the population at 5,000 individual birds. The lagoon covers approximately 20 square kilometers and is separated from the ocean by a thin strip of land. Male frigate birds inflate red throat pouches during breeding season. The sanctuary allows boat tours at restricted distances. Hurricane Irma damaged mangrove nesting areas in 2017. Recovery of the bird population has been documented but incomplete. The Highlands area of Barbuda rises only to approximately 38 meters but offers different scrubland ecology than Antigua's terrain.
Cricket holds cultural significance beyond sport. Sir Vivian Richards, born in St. John's in 1952, played 121 Test matches for the West Indies and is widely considered among the greatest batsmen in cricket history. Sir Curtly Ambrose, born in Swetes Village in 1963, took 405 Test wickets as a fast bowler. Sir Richie Richardson, born in Five Islands Village in 1962, captained the West Indies. The Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John's hosted international matches until the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium opened in 2007 for the Cricket World Cup. The stadium holds 10,000 spectators. International matches draw significant attendance and television viewership.