ANTIGUA
COUNTRY:
Antigua
CONTINENT:
Central America and the
Caribbean
POPULATION:87.883
(2010 estimated)
LANGUAGE: English
FORA
AND FAUNA:
Because
of its altitude and rainfall on the island,
Dominica has a varied and abundant
vegetation. Forestsare considered the most extensive
in the Lesser Antilles. Over 60% of the island is
still under some form of natural vegetation.
WEATHER:
The
climate is tropical warm.
Temperature in Antigua
and Barbuda is
about 27 °
C throughout
the year. Rain
falls from June
to October.
Antigua
and Barbuda are
targeted by the
hurricanes.
HISTORY:
The
first inhabitants of the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in
2400 BC were pre-ceramic Amerindians.Later, the Arawak
and Carib Amerindian tribes populated the islands. The
island of Antigua was originally named by
Native Wadadli. Christopher Columbus landed on his
second voyage in 1493 and gave the island
the name Antigua. Barbuda was later its
strange name from the "beard" lichen adorning his
palms.
The early Spanish and French settlers followed the
English who formed a colony in 1667 by
transporting Irish Catholics to Antigua. Slavery,
established to run the sugar plantations in Antigua, was
abolished officially in 1838 in all British
colonies, but in Antigua and Barbuda persisted until
the advent of trade unions in 1939. Vere Bird was
the founder of the Antigua Labour Party (PLA), the
first political party created in the country, and also
the first union leader of the fledgling nation. After
decades of struggle, managed to win the 1960 election and
become Prime Minister.
