Independence Day in Antigua and Barbuda

People all across ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA will celebrate their country's Independence Day right after Halloween on Sunday, November 1st. Antigua and Barbuda achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. Happy Independence Day, but in the meantime...
Happy Halloween!

Antigua and Barbuda Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of ANTIGUA and BARBUDA: bananas, bedding, coconuts, electronic components, food (produce and processed), handicrafts, live animals (livestock), mangoes, petroleum and derivative products, sugarcane, and transportation equipment. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Australia, Barbados, Cameroon, Curaçao, Dominica, France, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Poland, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Parishes of Antigua and Barbuda

Click on the map image above to enlarge it in a pop-up lightbox window.

Considered to be a best-kept secret in comparison to some other well-visited Caribbean countries in the Caribbean Sea, ANTIGUA and BARBUDA of course features the main islands of Antigua and Barbuda — but also includes much smaller islands close by and relatively far away (Redonda). Administratively, the country is divided into six Parishes and two Dependencies. Despite sharing sovereignty and unity with Antigua since 1981, Barbuda is still administratively known as a dependency and not a parish. The currently uninhabited island of Redonda is another dependency. As the map above shows, Antigua island's six parishes are Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, and Saint Philip. Not surprisingly, the capital city Saint John's is located in Saint John Parish.

Country Flags with Suns

Various countries have suns on their flags. They are ANTIGUA and BARBUDA, ARGENTINA, KAZAKHSTAN, KIRIBATI, KYRGYZSTAN, MALAWI, NAMIBIA, NEPAL, NORTH MACEDONIA (known as Macedonia or FYROM in 2015), The PHILIPPINES, RWANDA, and URUGUAY. Comprised of a main island and smaller islands, TAIWAN (Republic of China) is not exactly a country but it also has a sun on its flag. The sun on Taiwan's flag is featured in the top-left corner on top of a blue rectangle. The flags of BANGLADESH and JAPAN both feature a central red circle representing the sun. PALAU's yellow circle actually represents the moon!

Antigua and Barbuda Flag

A Caribbean Sea island country comprised of two main islands and many smaller ones, ANTIGUA and BARBUDA has a flag with five colors. Four of these colors - black, yellow, azure (light blue), and white from top to bottom - are placed within a triangular, V-shaped design. Both sides of this triangle are red; this color represents the energy of Antigua and Barbuda people, according to Vexilla Mundi. The other colors also have meaning. The yellow element surrounded by black and blue is the sun. Black represents the country's African ancestry and is a trapezoid at the top of Antigua and Barbuda's flag. Below the black trapezoid is a smaller blue trapezoid representing hope, and white is a smaller upside-down triangle shape representing the country's white sands. The flag essentially represents a beach because there is white sand with the sea in the distance, and the sun is on the horizon above the sea.

Antigua and Barbuda Endangered Species

As of June 12th, 2014, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ lists 20 endangered and critically endangered species in ANTIGUA and BARBUDA (learn more about Antigua and Barbuda with my post). Of particular concern, there are seven critically endangered species. These are the seven species: the Antiguan Racer snake, Elkhorn Coral, Goliath Grouper (also called the Jewfish) Hawksbill Turtle, Jamaican Petrel seabird, Staghorn Coral, and Wide Sawfish.

Some Facts about Antigua and Barbuda

ANTIGUA and BARBUDA is a small island country in the eastern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean is to the right. Antigua is the largest and southernmost island, while Barbuda is second largest and located to the north. The capital, Saint John's, is located in the northern part of Antigua.

Find out more about Antigua and Barbuda with this post!

Did you know? The highest point of the country was formerly called Boggy Peak, but has a new name: Mount Obama. Of course, the mountain was renamed when President Obama became the leader for the United States!

Antigua & Barbuda

ANTIGUA and BARBUDA is an island country that has two main islands (Antigua and Barbuda) and many smaller islands. Nearby islands include Guadeloupe (located south and southeast), Montserrat (southwest), and St. Kitts and Nevis (west). The capital is Saint John's, which has more than 24,200 inhabitants. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Antigua and Barbuda's population in the year 2020 is about 98,100 and is ranked 201st among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. English is the Caribbean island country's working language, while Leeward Caribbean English Creole (Antiguan and Barbudan) is a vernacular language used for communication. Antigua and Barbuda uses the East Caribbean Dollar.