Antigua and Barbuda Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Caribbean, Leeward Islands.

Language

English is the official language. English patois is widely spoken.

Area

Antigua: 280 sq km (108 sq miles); Barbuda: 161 sq km (62 sq miles); Redonda: 1.6 sq km (0.6 sq miles). Total: 441.6 sq km (170.5 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT - 4.

Electricity

220/110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style two-pin plugs. Some hotels also have outlets for 240 volts AC; in this case European-style, two-pin plugs are used.

Population

69,842 (2008 estimate).

Population Density

158.1 per sq km.

Capital City

St John’s. Population: 28,000 (2007 estimate).

Government

Constitutional monarchy. Gained internal full independence in 1981.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer since 2004.

Head of State

HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Sir James Carlisle since 1993.

Religion

Predominantly Anglican but also Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist and others.

Recent History

Except for a brief spell in opposition during the 1970s, Vere C Bird and his Antiguan Labor Party (ALP) held power continuously from 1946 until 1994. He was then replaced by his son, Lester, after the ALP won the March 1994 poll.

The 2004 elections saw an historic landslide victory for Baldwin Spencer's United Progressive Party (UPP), which ended the Bird family's domination of Antiguan politics. The UPP government has since passed legislation, such as the Freedom of Information Act and Integrity in Public Life Act, in an effort to distance itself from the allegedly corrupt practices of the previous government.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +1 268.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Unregistered roaming is available - visitors with TDMA handsets can make calls without registering, provided they can give a credit card number.

Internet

Available in large cities and resorts.

Media

Many of Antigua & Barbuda's broadcast media is politically owned or controlled, although this is now changing. The country's first independent radio station, Observer Radio, launched in 2001 after a five-year struggle to obtain a license. The daily and weekly press carries a spectrum of opinion, including criticism of the government.

Post

Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1600.

Press

• Some newspapers have political or governmental associations. All are in English.
• The main newspapers are the Antigua Sun (published Monday to Saturday) and the Daily Observer.
• The Worker's Voice is published twice-weekly by Antigua Labor Party and Antigua Trades and Labor Union.

Radio

• Observer Radio and ZDK are commercial broadcasters.
• Sun FM is private and commercial.
• Some radio stations are owned by political or religious factions, such as Crusader Radio, owned by the United Progressive Party.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
2 May Labor Day
13 Jun Whit Monday
2 Jul Caricom Day
4 Jul Caricom Day
1 Aug Carnival Monday
2 Aug Carnival Tuesday
1 Nov Independence Day
9 Dec National Heroes Day
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
3 May Labor Day
28 May Whit Monday
6 Aug * Carnival Monday
7 Aug * Carnival Tuesday
1 Nov Independence Day
9 Dec National Heroes Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
* Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information

Antigua & Barbuda High Commission in the UK

2nd floor, 45 Crawford Place, London W1H 4LP, UK
Tel: (020) 7258 0070.
Website: www.antigua-barbuda.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600.

Antigua & Barbuda Tourist Office in the UK

2nd floor, 45 Crawford Place, London W1H 4LP, UK
Tel: (020) 7258 0070.
Website: www.antigua-barbuda.com

Embassy of Antigua & Barbuda in the USA

3216 New Mexico Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Tel: (202) 362 5122/66.

Antigua & Barbuda Department of Tourism and Trade in the USA

305 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 541 4117.
Website: www.antigua-barbuda.org