Redonda
The island of Redonda, viewed from the south
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 Redonda
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 16°56′19″N 62°20′46″W / 16.938646°N 62.346038°WCoordinates: 16°56′19″N 62°20′46″W / 16.938646°N 62.346038°W |
| Archipelago | Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles |
| Length | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) |
| Width | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 296 m (971 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Redonda is an uninhabited Caribbean island which is politically part of Antigua and Barbuda, in the Leeward Islands, West Indies. The island is about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) long, 0.5 kilometres (0.3 mi) wide, and is 296 metres (971 ft) high at its highest point.
This small island lies between the islands of Nevis and Montserrat, 56.2 kilometres (34.9 mi) southwest of Antigua. Redonda is closer to Montserrat than to any other island; it is located at 22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi) northwest of Montserrat, and 32 kilometres (20 mi) southeast of Nevis.
Redonda is home to vast numbers of sea birds, and the island was an important source of guano before artificial fertilizers started to be mass-produced. Guano-mining operations started in the 1860s and ceased after the start of World War I. During these mining operations a few buildings and other installations were put in place on the island, and some physical remnants of that phase in its history are still visible.
The island was named by Columbus in 1493. "Redonda" is the female form of the Spanish language adjective meaning "round". "Santa Maria de la Redonda" is a church in Seville, Spain, named for the Virgin Mary.
The island of Redonda became part of Antigua and Barbuda in 1967.
At a distance, Redonda appears as if it were one very large rock. It is the remnant of an ancient extinct volcano. The land rises extremely steeply from sea level, mostly as sheer cliffs, especially on the leeward (west) side of the island. At the top of the island there is an area of grassland that slopes quite steeply to the east. There is no source of fresh water other than rain.
Judging by the name he gave the island, to Columbus the island appeared to be rounded, at least in profile. In reality the island is long and narrow, although it rises steeply to a height of almost 1,000 feet. The actual land area of the island is, however, hard to estimate because of the extreme steepness of the slopes, but it is calculated to be somewhere between 1.6 square kilometres (400 acres) and 2.6 square kilometres (640 acres).
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Wikipedia