Redonda
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- (Redonda is also the Spanish name for the musical term "whole note")
Redonda is an unpopulated Caribbean island, a part of Antigua and Barbuda[1]. It lies 56.2 km SW of the main island, Antigua. It is an extinct volcano steeply protruding from the sea. The land area measures between 1.6 km2 and 2.6km2. The highest peak is 296 m (971 feet) high.
Christopher Columbus discovered Redonda in 1493 on his second journey, claimed it for the Spanish crown and named it Santa Maria la Redonda, but did not land on it.
In the 1860's, the island became a British possession. The island was claimed by Matthew Dowdy Shiell as the Kingdom of Redonda in 1865.
During the ensuing decades, the phosphine oxide deposits of the island were mined, with an annual yield of up to 7,000 tons. Only during this time was the island inhabited (population 120 in 1901).
During the First World War, the mining operations ceased and the workers left Redonda, which has been uninhabited since then. The island of Redonda (but, oddly, not the Kingdom of Redonda) became a dependency of Antigua and Barbuda in 1967.
The Kingdom of Redonda no longer maintains a claim to the island of Redonda but is recognized by the UK through a 19th century decree.
[edit] References
- This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies, which are United States government publications in the public domain.
- This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
[edit] External Sites
| Parishes and dependencies of Antigua and Barbuda |  |
|---|---|
| Parishes of Antigua: Saint George | Saint John | Saint Mary | Saint Paul | Saint Peter | Saint Philip Dependencies: Barbuda | Redonda |
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