Country Comments

Antigua and Barbuda have the fourth smallest population in the world, however they are grossly overpopulated based on the resource availability. The country is heavily reliant on imports for many goods and services. Most sustainability issues deal with scarcity of freshwater and the destruction of the remaining forests on the islands. Forests today account for only 11% of the land, a large decline from its natural state. Most of the trees were destroyed in order to make room for the sugar cane plantations that the British set up during their colonial occupation. Tourism threatens the remaining forest as well as the mangroves which are being cleared for large-scale hotels, marine recreation facilities and waste disposal. There is only one national park, the only protected forest land.