Find a map of the Caribbean Sea. Look at the curve of islands between North America and South America. Near the middle of that curve, you will find two tiny islands called Antigua and Barbuda. Together, they are only about 170 square miles, smaller than most American counties. Despite their small size, these islands have a dramatic history. European colonizers arrived in the 1600s and brought enslaved people from Africa to work on sugar plantations. For hundreds of years, Britain controlled the islands. The people had little say in how they were governed. In the 1960s and 1970s, many Caribbean nations began demanding freedom. Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence on November 1, 1981. Vere Bird became the country's first prime minister. Today, the islands depend heavily on tourism. Visitors come for the white sand beaches, coral reefs, and warm water. Antigua alone has 365 beaches, one for every day of the year. But tourism also creates challenges. When fewer visitors come, the economy suffers. Hurricanes are another constant threat, and rising sea levels from climate change could eventually shrink the coastlines that attract visitors in the first place.