Barbuda

Not to be confused with Bermuda, Barbados, or The Bahamas.
For other uses, see Barbuda (disambiguation).

Barbuda
Motto: "Each Endeavouring, All Achieving"
Anthem: "I Believe"
Barbuda highlighted
Capital
and largest city
Codrington
17°38′N 61°49′W / 17.64°N 61.81°W / 17.64; -61.81
Official languagesNone
Ethnic groups
(2011)[1]
African (95%)
Demonym(s)Barbudan
GovernmentBarbuda Council
Devon Warner
Mackenzie Frank
• Secretary
O'Sheri Cannegieter
Establishment
• Colony
1678
• Barbuda Act
April 30, 1904
• Autonomy
December 23, 1976
Area
• Total
160.56 km2 (61.99 sq mi) (N/A)
Population
• 2011 census
1,634
• Density
10.2/km2 (26.4/sq mi) (not ranked)
CurrencyEastern Caribbean dollar ($) (XCD)
Time zoneUTC−4 (−4)
Date formatdd-mm-yyyy (CE)
Drives onleft
Internet TLD.ag
Part of the series on
Barbuda
Government & politics
Populated locations
Society & history
Geography & wildlife

Barbuda (/bɑːrˈb(j)uːdə/)[2][3] is an island and dependency located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda as an autonomous entity. Barbuda is located approximately 30 miles (48 km) north of Antigua. The only settlements on the island are Codrington and its surrounding localities. Barbuda is a flat island with the western portion being dominated by Codrington Lagoon, and the eastern portion being dominated by the elevated plateau of the Barbuda Highlands, with salty ponds and scrubland spread throughout the island. The climate is classified as tropical marine.

The first inhabitants of Barbuda were canoe-driving hunter-gatherers around 3,000–4,000 years ago.[4] The island was subsequently inhabited by the Arawak and Kalinago.[4] Early settlements by the Spanish were followed by the French and English who formed a colony in 1666. In 1685, Barbuda was leased to brothers John and Christopher Codrington. In 1834, slavery was abolished in Barbuda.[5][6] Because the entire island had been covered by a single land grant, the Barbudans kept on autonomous cultivation on communal property after slavery's abolition.

With a population of 1,634, and an area of 62 square miles (160 km2), Barbuda is one of the most sparsely populated islands in the Caribbean.[7] Barbuda has a population density significantly lower than Antigua. In September 2017, the Category 5 Hurricane Irma destroyed more than 90 percent of Barbuda's buildings, and the entire population was evacuated to Antigua.[8] By February 2019, most of the residents had returned to the island.[9]

The economy of Barbuda is based mostly around tourism and government, with the central government and the local government being the largest employers on the island. Fisheries accounts for the majority of the island's exports, with the island having a significant lobster catching industry.

  1. ^ "ECLAC/CELADE Redatam+SP 08/02/2023" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "the definition of Barbuda". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  3. ^ "Barbuda PM: Unprecedented Level of Destruction". Anderson Cooper 360. CNN. September 7, 2017. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Revised Edition Of Amerindians Presence In Antigua Pre-history". www.anbanet.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "Antigua and Barbuda". Britannica Online. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "Happy Emancipation Day Antigua and Barbuda". Antigua Newsroom. August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "Population density Latin America and Caribbean by country 2021". Statista. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  8. ^ Raphael, T.J. (September 14, 2017). "For first time in 300 years, there's not a single living person on the island of Barbuda". USA Today.
  9. ^ "A history of Barbuda under the Cardington's 1738-1833" (PDF). etheses.bham.ac.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.