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Redonda Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Redonda facts for kids
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| Elevation | 296 m (971 ft) |
| Country | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Redonda is an uninhabited Caribbean island which is legally 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 fertilisers 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".
The island of Redonda became part of Antigua and Barbuda in 1967.
History
Christopher Columbus found Redonda in 1493 on his second journey. He said the island belonged to Spain. He named the island Santa María la Redonda, meaning Saint Mary the Round. The island looks round when viewed from the side. In the 1860s, the island became a British possession.
Images for kids
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The west (leeward) coast of Redonda consists almost entirely of sheer cliffs many hundreds of feet high
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A detail of the west coast shows the reddish volcanic rock cliffs and a small rock islet with a visible intertidal algal zone
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A small stone hut on the top of the island dates from the days when guano was mined there.