6. Antigua & Barbuda

Capital: St. John's Currency: East

Carribbean Dollar Area: 442 sq km Coastline: 153 km Population: 86,295

Languages

: English and Patois; Religions: Predominantly Prot estant, some Roman Catholic; Literacy: 85.8%; Life Expectancy: 76.12; p.c.i: $ 21,967; HDI rank: 61; Date of Indepen dence: 1st Nov., 1981.

Government Type

: Constitutional mon archy with UK-style Parliament; Governor General: Sir Rodney Williams; PM: Gaston Browne.

St.John's

Antigua & Barbuda

Climate: Tropical Maritime Regional Divisions: 6 Parishes and 2

Dependencies

Geography:

The state comprises the islands of Antigua, Barbuda and the tiny , outcrop of Redonda, in the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many 1/ natural harbours and beaches; 

a large western harbour. History: 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.

Mission in India: Embassy of Antigua & Barbuda stationed at New York.