Antigua and Barbuda is located in the Caribbean and is part of the Lesser Antilles. The country consists of the two main islands of Antigua and Barbuda and the volcanic island of Redonda.
Antigua - the southern and larger of the two main
islands.
Barbuda - the northern main island.
Redonda - small,
uninhabited island 54km west of Antigua.
St. John's - capital of Antigua.
All Saints
Cedar Grove
Coolidge
Dickenson Bay
English Harbour
Falmouth
Harbour
Five Islands
Freetown
Indian Town
Hodges Bay
Johnson's Point
Jolly Harbour
Old Road
Codrington - on the
island of Barbuda.
Antigua was probably visited by Indians from the
Ciboney tribe from 2400 BC. Scientists have been able to prove with
certainty that this tribe was present at Jolly Beach in 1775 BC. From
500 BC they were the first permanent settlers on the North Sound. In the
first century AD they were displaced by Arawak Indians. Around 1200 the
Arawaks continued their migration to the northwest, or were displaced by
the warlike Carib Indians who followed. The Indian name for Antigua was
"Wadadli".
In November 1493 the densely forested island was
rediscovered by Columbus but never set foot on it. He named it after the
Virgin Mary in the Cathedral of Seville: Santa Maria de la Antigua. The
island was only briefly under Spanish and French ownership. In 1520 the
Spaniard Don Antonio Serrano stayed on the island for a short time. In
1629, the French Norman Belain d'Esnambuc was also here. In 1632, a
group of British settlers led by Philip Warner from St. Kitts were the
first permanent residents. They grew indigo and tobacco near the village
of Old Road. In 1666, the French conquered Antigua, but in 1667 the
island became English property again under the Treaty of Breda and was
never occupied by another nation again. In 1674, the Carib Indians from
the island of Dominica attacked the European settlers for the first
time. In the following eight years, the attacks were repeated and
several colonists were killed. In 1676, Phillip Warner was elected
speaker in the House of Assembly, the island's government. One of his
descendants was Charles Warner. He acquired large estates on the island
of Dominica.
In 1674, Sir Christopher Codrington came to Antigua
from Barbados. He founded the first large plantation, gave it the name
"Betty's Hope", grew sugar cane and developed a distinctive slave and
plantation economy. He acquired the island of Barbuda from the British
crown in January 1685 in order to grow crops for his slaves to feed
them, for fishing and to obtain enough timber for his plantation. At the
same time, his people robbed all ships that were wrecked on the island's
reefs. The Codrington family settled in Gloucester in England, and the
plantations were only run by administrators.
Between 1640 and
1713 there were six major slave uprisings on the island. In 1736 one of
the largest uprisings was nipped in the bud. It was led by a Coromantee
slave of royal blood from the Ghanaian Gold Coast but was betrayed. The
slave "Prince Klaas" and 68 other followers were hanged or burned in St.
John's. Prince Klaas is today the first national hero of Antigua and
Barbuda.
In 1680, 2,300 whites and 2,200 slaves lived on the
island.
By 1705, most of the fertile land had been planted with
sugar cane and the last remaining forest had been cut down. The result
was increasingly dry periods. The Potswork Dam was built to dam up water
to irrigate the plantations. There were 170 sugar mills. The mills,
which were originally powered by oxen, were replaced by windmills.
In 1710, 2,500 whites and 13,000 slaves lived on the island.
In the ten years between 1720 and 1729 alone, over 12,200 slaves were
brought to the island.
In 1834, 2,000 whites, 4,000 “free”
coloreds and 23,500 slaves lived on the island.
A map from the
early 19th century shows 161 sugar cane plantations. At the centre of
each plantation was the manor house and each had at least one sugar
mill. In 1807, the trade in slaves was banned by England, but slavery
was allowed to continue for another 30 years.
After slavery was
abolished, the plantation owners received £415,713 English pounds from
the Treasury in London for the loss of their slaves. Many of the freed
slaves emigrated to Guyana and Trinidad because the working conditions
there were better. The others settled in 27 newly founded towns in a
very short time. As a replacement, around 2,500 Portuguese from the
island of Madeira came to Antigua as workers between 1847 and 1852. It
is thanks to their presence that the Catholic Church was established on
the island in 1859. At the beginning of the 20th century, a large group
of Lebanese and Syrians came to the island, and they have established
themselves as traders to this day. After 1890, around 500 people came to
the island from China.
At the beginning of the following century,
the population grew and at the same time the price of sugar fell. In
addition to sugar cane, corn and cotton were grown.
In 1938, the
average daily wage was between 28 and 36 cents. This led to strikes,
sabotage and riots by the disenfranchised workers. The Colonial Office
in London set up a commission of inquiry led by Lord Moyne to look for
ways out of the crisis.
During World War II, the island was an
important US military base from 1941. The Americans built several naval
bases and later satellite observation stations as part of the Apollo
space program. Some of the facilities are now used by the national coast
guard.
The collapse of sugar prices caused the industry to
experience extreme difficulties between 1950 and 1960. The government
had to repeatedly borrow money to buy up plantations and to pay the
workers in the sugar factory. It was not until 1971 that circumstances
forced the industry to close, after which 60% of the agricultural land
remained fallow. Since then, the government has been looking for new
products for the farmers to grow.
The first trade union, the
Antigua Trades and Labour Union (AT & LU), was formed in 1940. One of
the men who was there from the start was Vere Cornwall Bird, who was
elected union president in 1943. Within three months the union had 3,000
members, and by 1956 there were over 12,000; public sector employees,
domestic workers, traders, small farmers, shopkeepers and teachers. In
1946 the first five union members were elected to parliament. In 1946 V.
C. Bird was elected to the Legislative Council, in 1956 he became
minister, and in 1961 Chief Minister. From 1958 to 1962 the island was a
member of the West Indies Federation. In 1965 independence negotiations
with England began. It was not until 1968 that a second union was
formed, the Antigua Workers Union (AWU). This union gave rise to the
Progressive Labour Movement (PLM) party with Leonard Tim Hector as
chairman.
On November 1, 1981 Antigua & Barbuda became
independent, although the sparsely populated island of Barbuda had
fought against it until the very end. After gaining full independence,
V.C. Bird became the first Prime Minister. In 1994, one of his sons,
Lester Bird, took over this position. The Bird family still controls all
political life on the island today. Not everything has always gone the
right way, however, and Antigua has earned the dubious title of the
"most corrupt island in the Caribbean".
Between 1995 and 1997,
Antigua took in over 3,000 residents from the volcano-damaged island of
Montserrat.
After sugar cane cultivation was stopped in the early
1970s, the most important sources of foreign currency are the West
Indies Oil Refinery and tourism. The roots of tourism go back to 1949.
At that time, a group of North American millionaires had holiday villas
on the island of Bermuda and were looking for new "playgrounds". After
extensive research, it was decided to build the Mill Reef Club on
Antigua. In addition to a villa complex with a private beach, a golf
course with a clubhouse and tennis courts was built. Since this small
group was hardly noticed by the island's population, there were no
conflicts. On the contrary, the super-rich Paul Mellon of Exxon Oil
provided large sums of money, which were used to build the Holberton
Hospital and to give some eligible school leavers a scholarship in the
USA.
After Fidel Castro took power in Cuba and the Americans
imposed a blockade on the island, many North Americans looked for a new
holiday destination. Today, tourism accounts for around 80% of national
income, and 35% of all employees work directly in this industry. One of
the largest hotel complexes was planned and built by Alfred Erhart:
Jolly Harbour Beach Resort. Waterfront villas, a hotel, a marina with
140 berths, a shopping center, a helipad and a golf course were built on
200 hectares.
Airplane
V. C. Bird International Airport (IATA: ANU) Coolidge,
Antigua, runway: 9,000 feet – 2,970m.
In 1992-93, the airport on
Antigua, especially the terminal building, was renovated and renewed for
5 million EC$. The flight time to Barbuda is 20 minutes. Antigua is the
headquarters of the airlines Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) and
Caribbean Star. There are now plans to demolish the terminal building
and build a larger new building.
There is currently no
computer-controlled check-in, instead there are printed paper pages on
which each passenger has to be searched for individually, making the
process accordingly lengthy.
The airport is not equipped with
passenger bridges to the aircraft, there are no transport buses, there
is not even technical equipment that tows the aircraft into position and
supplies them with power. This means that the large aircraft are
sometimes parked far away on the forecourt with their engines running.
Passengers have to walk from the terminal building to the plane
(annoying when it's raining).
The departure hall is relatively small.
But there are a large number of shops with duty-free goods - good, cheap
prices!
British Airways, every Sunday from London
Condor, every
Monday from Frankfurt/Main
Virgin Atlantic, from London-Gatwick on
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
The airport tax was increased at
the end of 2011, and is now US$28 (previously US$20) or EC$70 when
leaving the country.
http://www.flightstats.com/
Crown Point
Airport (IATA: BBQ), Barbuda, runway: 1,700 feet - 560m, irregular
flights to and from Antigua.
Ship
The port of St. John's is
regularly visited by cruise ships. During the cruise season, outside of
the hurricane season, i.e. in the months November to May, up to three
large cruise ships can dock. For example, the "Queen Elizabeth" was in
Antigua in November 2011.
Bus service There is no regular service with fixed departure times.
However, there are now fixed routes and stops. Private companies also
travel from St. John's to the various villages as required from 6 a.m.
until nightfall.
Bus stations
Market Place Bus Station, Valley
Street, St. John's, for all trips to the southern part of the island.
This large bus station is located on the southern edge of the city,
right by the harbor, with direct access to the fish market. A few steps
across, on the other side, is the large, covered main market.
East
Bus Station, Independence Avenue, St. John's, for all trips to the north
of the island. This smaller bus station is located five blocks east,
inland, from the harbor.
The buses are usually 12-seaters with single
seats on one side and benches for two on the other side. Emergency seats
fold out into the aisle. Buses in St. John's leave as soon as all seats
and emergency seats are occupied. On the way, the bus stops at the
respective bus stop after the passenger calls out: "Bus stop". The fares
given below refer to the furthest distance; those who get off earlier
pay less. It is advisable to have small change in local currency.
Bus routes
Bus no. 15: St. John's - All Saints - Liberta, price:
2.50 EC $
Bus no. 17: St. John's - Falmouth Harbour - Crobbs Cross -
English Harbour, price: 3.25 EC $
Bus no. 20: Golden Grove - Antigua
State College - Ebenezer - Jennings - Bolans, Jolly Harbour, price: 3 EC
$
Bus no. 22: St. John's - Crabb Hill - Johnston's Point - Urlings -
Old Road, price: 3.25 EC $
Taxis
You can recognize them by the
letter H on a green license plate. There are no taximeters, but the
fares are fixed.
Rental cars
Be careful, drive on the left!
The maximum speed limit on the island is 20 mph (32 km/h) in towns and
40 mph (65 km/h) outside. A local driving permit is issued by rental
companies, every police station, the airport and the tax authority, the
“Inland Revenue Department”, upon presentation of a valid driver's
license and payment of a fee of 50 EC $ or 20 US $. The minimum age for
renting a vehicle is 25 years.
The roads on the island are generally
in poor condition, narrow, winding and full of deep potholes.
Helicopter Charter
Caribbean Helicopters, Jolly Harbour, Tel.
460-5900, Fax 460-5901, Prices: 30 minute island tour US$165, 20 minute
half island tour (southern half) US$115, 45 minute Montserrat tour
US$245, all prices per person.
http://www.caribbeanhelicopters.com/
The official language on the islands is English, which is spoken and written, so it is relatively easy to find your way around with a good knowledge of English. However, due to the Caribbean dialect, which can be particularly noticeable in pronunciation, normal English skills may not be sufficient, making individual words difficult to understand. It helps to point this out and ask for repetition.
The currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (EC$), which is linked to
the US dollar at a fixed exchange rate. 1 USD is equivalent to 2.70 EC$,
and vice versa, 1 EC$ is 0.37 USD. US dollars are widely accepted as
banknotes.
In the capital, St. John's, there are two large malls
right by the harbor, built primarily for cruise ship guests. Another
shopping center can be found on the northern outskirts of the city.
Typical island souvenirs include batik and screen-printed fabrics,
woven straw items, pottery, naive paintings, jewelry with semi-precious
stones from Antigua.
In Antigua and Barbuda, meat, fish and seafood as well as cooked
vegetables or fruit are standard. Rice is often served as a side dish.
The national dish is fungie, which is very similar to Italian polenta
and, like polenta, is made from corn flour. Another speciality is
ducana, a pastry made from sweet potatoes that is often served with
stockfish. Shellfish such as lobsters and similar are also often caught
from the sea. These can be eaten in many restaurants or hotels.
Due to the lush nature and the tropical-like climate, tropical fruits
are often grown and used in food on Antigua and Barbuda, such as
plantains, fruits/spices from the tamarind tree or sweets made from the
region's sugar cane such as caramel candies and cakes.
Abracadabra, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour. Tel.: 460-2701, Fax: 463-8084. Restaurant, bar & disco. Open: December to April.
Tourists are at risk of becoming victims of petty crime, particularly
in busy places or at festivals. Pickpocketing and purse snatching are
common crimes. Important documents and large sums of money should
therefore be kept safe.
The Foreign Office provides further
useful information on safety on its website.
There are practically no dangerous animals on the Caribbean islands. However, a few insects can be quite annoying, including fire ants. Their bites can cause allergic reactions. It is therefore advisable to wear closed shoes when hiking in the rainforest or on farm grounds.
Daytime temperatures are consistently between 24 °C in February and
28 °C in August and September. Nighttime temperatures are between 18 °C
in December and 21 °C in summer. Humidity fluctuates around 80%. There
is a short rainy season in May and June, and it rains heavier from
mid-August to mid-November.
The tropical cyclone “Luis” swept
across the island on September 6th and 7th, 1995 with high wind speeds,
leaving a trail of destruction, particularly on the east coast. All
hotels and 75% of all houses were more or less severely damaged or
destroyed. The damage to nature healed itself in a few weeks due to the
tropical climate. The material damage to the buildings, amounting to US$
500 million, was largely repaired within 6 months.
In September
1998, cyclone “Georges” swept across the island at a speed of 175 km/h.
Roofs were blown off, trees were uprooted and streets were flooded. No
one was hurt, as several thousand people spent the night in shelters.
The island's population is extremely friendly, helpful and reserved.
You are in the capital St. John's and are looking for a shop that
has moved: ask about it, if you are lucky a local will show you to the
door.
Even with three cruise ships and their guests in the city there
is no fuss.
Drivers stop at zebra crossings so that you can cross the
street.
Tips in hotels are accepted as discreetly as possible, the
person will thank you later or the next day if you are found alone.
Long distance calls from public telephone boxes can be paid for with a credit card. For the German-language announcement you must dial "353". Since 1989 card phones have been installed all over the island. Phone cards costing 10, 20 and 60 EC $ are available from Cable & Wireless, the Tourist Board, hotels and a few shops.