Antigua (pronounced
/ænˈtiːgwə/ an-TEE-gwah or /
ænˈtiːgə/
an-TEE-gah) is an
island in the
West Indies, in the
Leeward Islands in the
Caribbean region, the main island of the country of
Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher
Columbus after a church in Spain, Santa Maria La Antigua -- St. Mary the
Ancient. It is also known as
Wadadli, from the original Amerindian inhabitants, and means approximately "our own".
[citation needed] The island's
circumference is roughly 87 km (54 mi) and its
area 281 km
2 (108 sq mi). Its
population is about 69,000 as of July 2006.
[1] It is the largest of the
Leeward Islands, and the most developed and prosperous due to its upscale
tourism industry,
offshore banking, internet
gambling services and
education services, including two medical schools.
