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The flag of Antigua and Barbuda: Red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band.
Antigua (pronounced An-tee-ga) is an island in the Caribbean, part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. It is also known by another name, Wadadli, which means approximately "our own" (Wadadli is also the name of the local beer brewed on the island). It has a population of about 68,000, of which over 24,000 live in the capital of St. John's, at 17° 6' N. and 61° 45' W., and is 54 miles in circumference, with an area of 108 square miles. The surface is comparatively flat, and there is no central range of mountains as in most other West Indian islands, but among the hills in the southwest an elevation of 1,319 feet (402 m) feet is attained on Boggy Peak. Owing to the absence of rivers, the paucity of springs, and the almost complete deforestation, Antigua is subject to frequent droughts, and although the average rainfall is 45.6 inches, the variations from year to year are great.
The problem is partly solved by desalination of sea water. The high rocky coast is much indented by bays and arms of the sea, several of which form excellent harbours, that of St John's being safe and commodious.
The soil, especially in the interior, is very fertile. Sugar and pineapples are the chief products for export, but sweet potatoes, yams, maize and guinea corn are grown for local consumption. Leading population settlements are St. John's (22,634), All Saints (3,412) and Liberta (2,239), according to the 2001 Census. St John's, the capital, is situated in the northwest, near to the airport and has a deep harbour which is able to accommodate large cruise ships. English Harbour on the southeastern coast, is famed as a "hurricane hole" (protected shelter during violent storms) and the site of a restored British colonial naval station. The latter is called "Nelson's Dockyard". Nelson was at the time a Captain and in correspondence made it clear he would prefer not to be there, but rather facing the French. Today English Harbour and the neighbouring village of Falmouth are an internationally famous yachting and sailing destination and provisioning centre. Indian Town National Park is located on the island.
Antigua's economy has become increasingly reliant upon tourism, and it markets itself as a luxury Caribbean escape. Many hotels and resorts are located around the coastline, and the island's single airport (V C Bird airport) is serviced by several major airlines including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, US Airways, American Airlines, Continental, BWIA, and Air Canada. The only regular service to Barbuda flies from VC Bird. The United States Air Force maintains a small base adjacent to the airport.
The country's official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar. However, many prices in tourist oriented businesses are shown in US dollars. The EC dollar is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of $1 US = $2.7 EC.
At the end of April and beginning of May Antigua Sailing Week, an annual world-class regatta started in 1967, brings many sailing vessels and sailors to the island to race and party.
Internet Hosting: Antigua is a recognized center for online gaming companies. Antigua was one of the first nations to legalize, license and regulate online gaming. Some countries, most notably the United States, argue that because the gaming transaction is initiated in their jurisdictions that the act of online wagering is illegal. This argument has been repudiated by the World Trade Organization. However in 2006 the United States Congress voted to approve the Unlawful Internet Gaming Act which criminalizes the operations of offshore gaming operators which take wagers from American based gamblers.
It is worth noting that the United States Congress placed exemptions into the bill to protect American based providers of internet based gaming services and has only criminalized the activities of internet gaming companies located outside of its borders.
Slysoft, a vendor of CD and DVD copying software designed to overcome anti-copy technologies is also domiciled in Antigua.
Antigua was first inhabited by the Siboney, which means "stone people" in the Arawak language, whose settlements date at least to 2400 BC. The Siboney were extremely skilled with their hands, and were great craftsmen. They were skilled at making such things as jewelery and stone tools. The Arawaks—who originated in Venezuela, and gradually migrated up the chain of islands now called the Lesser Antilles—succeeded the Siboney. The Arawaks brought farming to the island, cultivate crops of pineapples, peppers, corn, sweet potatoes, guava, cotton, and tobacco. The warlike Carib people drove the Arawaks from neighboring islands but apparently did not settle on either Antigua or Barbuda.
Antigua was discovered by accident in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, who is said to have named it after a church in Seville, Spain, called Santa Maria la Antigua. It remained, however, virtually uninhabited until 1632, when a body of English settlers took possession of it. This settlement was abandoned following attacks by Carib Indians. In 1663 another settlement of the same nation was effected under the direction of Lord Willoughby, to whom the entire island was granted by Charles II. It was ravaged by the French in 1666, but was soon after reconquered by the British and formally restored to them by the Treaty of Breda. in 1674, Sir Christopher Codrington arrived on Antigua, bringing with him the newest techniques in sugarcane farming. Over the next half century, sugarcane dominated the island's economy, and by the 18th century, there were more than 150 sugarcane processing windmills on the island. Antigua remained under British control until 1981, when Antigua and Barbuda gained independence. The government is a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state and two elected houses, the upper one called the Senate.
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