Redonda Island

Redonda is a small uninhabited rocky island in the Caribbean Sea, part of the Lesser Antilles. This small piece of land of volcanic origin is 60 kilometers from the island of Antigua.

There is no permanent population on Redonda, it is a realm of untouched tropical thickets. Land cannot be bought on the island. Redonda – a kind of nature reserve, a monument to the pre-colonial past of the country.

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Formally, the island is a self-proclaimed state, a monarchy. In 1865, a wealthy merchant Matthew Dowdy Shell, descended from an ancient Irish family, sailed to the shores of the unpopulated island and proclaimed it a kingdom, and his son – the king. The title of monarch of Redonda is retained to this day.

There are several phosphate mines on the island, and raw materials are being extracted.

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Geography

Redonda Island is about 2 kilometers long and just over 500 meters wide. The highest point is 297 meters above sea level.

History

  • The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The name was given by Columbus and means “rounded”. It has been owned by Antigua and Barbuda since 1967.
  • A possession of Great Britain since 1872, which began guano mining.
  • In 1865, the island proclaimed the virtual state of Redonda.
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