| Geography and Climate |
Antigua and Barbuda is an independent island state located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, east of St Kitts and Nevis and north of Guadeloupe. It includes the Leeward Islands of Antigua, Barbuda to the north, and Redonda Island to the southwest. Generally a low-lying island of limestone and sandstone, Antigua rises to 470 m at Boggy Peak. The white sandy beaches along the coastline are a major attraction for tourists. Barbuda, formerly called Dulcina, is a flat coral island with fine beaches. It is also a game reserve inhabited by wild deer, wild pigs, and a variety of fowl, including ducks and pigeons. Redonda Island is a rocky, uninhabited islet.
Antigua and Barbuda has a tropical climate year-round, with a mean annual temperature of about 27°C. Although the country’s annual rainfall is about 114 cm, the islands are subject to drought, as well as occasional hurricanes.
Ref. Microsoft, 1996 |