Life in Antigua and Barbuda
The Beauty of Antigua and Barbuda
Borrowed from "The Hotel Guru"
On the surface, Antigua and Barbuda are excellent attractions. They are an ideal vacation spot,with incredible local restaurants, shops, and other cultural attractions ("A beautiful little island in the Caribbean). However, the real attraction in the island nation comes simply from its natural beauty. "There are no big hotels here. In fact, there are few hotels at all on the island, adding to the feeling that you are here at your own private beach" said one trip reviewer for Irie Time. This private beach feeling is perhaps a contrast from some other island vacation spots, with a huge amount of tourist appeal and marketing behind their "natural beauty". Each island's coastlines are intricate, with bays and headlands fringed with gorgeous reefs and shoals, as well as several inlets. The lack of massive tourist income compared to other islands allow these coasts to be preserved, and they are able to retain their beauty.
People of the nation
Borrowed from "Rendezvous Bay"
Antigua's population of 100,963 is mostly made up of people of West African, British, and Madeiran descent (World Population Prospects 2017). While English is the main language, there is a difference between Antiguan and Barbudan accents. The inhabitants of Antigua are predominately descendants of African slaves (The Culture of Antigua). In fact, a staff writer for Caribya states that "In a census taken on the island in recent years, approximately 96 percent of Antigua's population declared to be of African descent". This cultural origin is similar to many other Caribbean nations, with a melting pot of African and European influences. The people of Antigua take part in many festivals and celebrations. The most participated in event is the celebration of Carnival, which takes place in a ten day period from July to August each year, for the purpose of celebrating the nation's emancipation from slavery in 1834 (The Culture of Antigua). For this event, parades take place every day throughout Carnival City. The celebrations in Antigua are magnificent and bright, with many eye-catching elements being included.
Problems facing the nation
Borrowed from "Anu Met Service"
The most recent prominent crisis Antigua and Barbuda are facing is obviously the impact from Hurricane Irma. However, in early 2014, Antigua was on the verge of running out of water. According to the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), the nation's water authority, the island experienced a water crisis stemming from a drought that dated back to late summer 2013. This drought could have been the affect of an irregular rainfall that year. Dale Destin of Anu Met Service claims that "whereas the rainfall for 2013 was not typical, with the dry season wetter than the wet season, the aggregate at the end of the year was near normal. The actual figure was 46.20 inches for 2013 as compared to the normal of 47.37 inches for a given year". This rainfall along with a limited amount of freshwater resources caused severe concerns for the residents of Antigua and Barbuda.
Citations
“Antigua’s Water Crisis.” Dale Destin - Anu Met Service, 4 Mar. 2014,
anumetservice.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/antiguas-water-crisis/. Accessed 1/5/18
Iiwinc. “The Culture of Antigua.” The Culture of Antigua | Caribya!, caribya.com/antigua/culture/.
Accessed 1/4/18
user, a TripAdvisor. “A Beautiful Little Island in the Caribbean.” TripAdvisor, 27 Feb. 2008,
www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150894-r13893208-Antigua_and_Barbuda.html.
Accessed 1/4/18
anumetservice.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/antiguas-water-crisis/. Accessed 1/5/18
Iiwinc. “The Culture of Antigua.” The Culture of Antigua | Caribya!, caribya.com/antigua/culture/.
Accessed 1/4/18
user, a TripAdvisor. “A Beautiful Little Island in the Caribbean.” TripAdvisor, 27 Feb. 2008,
www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150894-r13893208-Antigua_and_Barbuda.html.
Accessed 1/4/18
Background image borrowed from The Kiteboarder Magazine: https://www.thekiteboarder.com/2014/05/island-boys-the-kiteboarding-life-in-antigua/