|
Antigua's tourist office boasts that the island has 365 beaches, 'one for each day of the year'. It has great reefs and wrecks for diving and snorkeling.
On neighboring Barbuda you can track the island's fabled frigate birds and visit the Caribbean's largest rookery.
Barbuda is a quiet, single-village island that has less than 2% of the nation's population and gets very few independent visitors, mainly ardent bird watchers and a few yachters enjoying its clear waters and tranquil beaches. Antigua is a touch more happening, but the pace is still deliciously slow.
Transportation
Getting There:
Served by Air Canada, Air France, Air Jamaica, American Airlines, American Eagle, BWIA, British Airways, Continental, LIAT, Lufthansa.
Entry Documents:
Passport and return or ongoing ticket required for entry. Citizens of the U.S. and Canada may enter with a return ticket and one of the following: Passport or original Birth Certificate and a photo I.D. in the form of a valid driver's license.
Airport:
V.C. Bird International Airport - less than 5 miles from St. John's.
Departure Tax:
$20 U.S.
Driving:
On the left - license required available at the airport for US$20.
Local Transportation:
Taxis and rental cars should cover your transportation needs. Car
rental rates average around $45 US$ per day.
Facts
Capital (Antigua): St. Johns
Capital (Barbuda):Codrington
Language:English
Population:66 422
Head of State:Queen Elizabeth II represented by a governor general in St. Johns
Religion:Anglican Church (about 50%), Roman Catholic, Moravian
Government Form: Parliamentary
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar
Exchange Rate:U.S. $1.00 = EC $2.70
Time Zone:EST + 1 ; GMT - 4
Telephone Area Code:(268)
Visas:
Visitors from the USA, Canada and the UK may enter the country for stays of less than six months with either a valid passport or a birth certificate with a raised seal and a photo ID. Most other visitors, including citizens of Australia, New Zealand and western European countries, must have passports but do not need visas. Officially all visitors need a round-trip or onward ticket.
Health risks:sunburn, diarrhea, intestinal worms
Dialing Code:268
Electricity:230V ,60Hz
Weights & measures:Imperial
Geography
The islands are located southeast of Puerto Rico, in the eastern Caribbean at the southern end of the Leeward Islands. Antigua covers an area of 108 square miles. Barbuda covers an area of 62 square miles. Antigua can be described in three ways. The northern part consists of small scrub covered rolling hills, the central area is a fertile plain, while the southwest has formation of volcanos and tropical valleys. Barbuda is a very flat island and its foundation consists of coral and linestone.
Climate
Antigua can be described as tropical and humid, while Barbuda would be more arid. The islands have an annual temperature of 24 degrees Celsius (75 F) and remains constant throughout the summer and winter. The average annual rainfall is 42 inches, but drought can be a factor.
Education
Compulsory schooling from age five to sixteen.The majority of schools are funded by the government, with some assistance from religious groups .There are a total of 72 primary and secondary schools. In 1972 the training colleges were merged to form the Antigua State College.
Average Annual Rate of Growth
1.2 %
Reproductive Rate
16.1 per 1,000
Population Density
423 per square mile
Ethnic Makeup
Primarily people of African descent. British,Portuguese, Lebanese and Syrian stocks may also be found.
|
