a barbudaful geography

Barbuda is located...

• between 17.31° - 17.45°N and 61.44° - 61.53°
• in the middle of the northeastern Caribbean Leeward Islands
• 120 km to the east of the Virgin Islands
• 40 km north of its sister island Antigua
• 725 km north of Trinidad and Tobago

Barbuda is about 175 sq km if the large lagoon on the west side is included in the total area. Two-thirds of the island consists of a flat plain raised only a few feet above sea level. The other third, the Highlands, is a relatively flat tableland with a maximum height of 42 metres.

Unlike most of the islands which form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea, Barbuda is not of volcanic origin.The island is limestone and represents a coral reef which was raised above the sea in two successive stages.

In the south the Highlands slope down to meet the plain. On the eastern windward side the Atlantic Ocean washes up on mostly rocky headlands. Much of the coastline is characterised by beach sands and fringed with coral reefs. Throughout its history Barbuda has been an exceptionally dangerous hazard to shipping.

View a map of the island of Barbuda.

Climate

Barbuda's climate is sub-tropical with a temperature range from 18°C to 45°C. Rainfall is seasonal, with an average of 100 cm per year. There are no streams or lakes; fortunately underground water is found in reasonable quantities and water is obtained from wells. Vegetation tends to be scrubby woodland, with few trees over 10 metres, and numerous cacti and succulents. In contrast Codrington Village has colourful displays of Bougainvillea, Hibiscus, Pride of Barbados, and Lady of the Night, as Barbudans lovingly tend their gardens.

Places of interest

Caves

As an island composed of limestone, Barbuda has many caves to explore. There are two main sites at Castle Hill and Two Foot Bay. The road to Two Foot Bay is more accessible to visitors so these are most commonly visited, Castle Hill is a long and bumpy ride. The caves at Two Foot Bay range from small crawl-in holes to huge cavernous areas, complete with stalactites and stalagmites and many fossils. Barbudans have camped in the caves for centuries and have given them names, such as "The Fridge", which as its name suggests is cool and breezy. In Indian Cave at Two Foot Bay it is possible to see drawings (petroglyphs) left by the original inhabitants of Barbuda, the Arawak or the Siboney. Visit our Amerindian page to learn more about these people.

Darby Cave

Three and half miles north-east of Codrington Village is Darby Cave, a spectacular sink hole in the middle of the bush. It is well worth a visit to see the huge deep hole suddenly appear in front of you and wonder how it got there! The tops of tall palm trees are suddenly at eye level. Darby Sink Hole is over 100 metres in diameter and around 70 feet deep. One side of the hole has been greatly undercut and stalagmites up to 8 feet high have formed under the overhang. The vegetation resembles a mini rainforest with palms, ferns, and lianas. A local guide is essential for this trip.

 

Dark Cave

Dark Cave is two miles to the south of Darby Cave. The cave has a narrow entrance leading to a vast cavern containing pools of water, which were probably a water source for Amerindian inhabitants as artefacts have been found nearby. Dark Cave is the habitat for several rare species of crustacea, including a blind shrimp.