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The British Leeward Islands was a British colony from 1671 to 1958, consisting of the English (later British) overseas possessions in the Leeward Islands. It ceased to exist from 1816 to 1833, during which time it was split into two separate colonies ( Antigua – Barbuda – Montserrat and Saint Christopher – Nevis – Anguilla – Virgin ...
When the British gained control of many of the Lesser Antilles, they designated Antigua, Montserrat and the islands to the north as the Leeward Islands. Guadeloupe and the islands to the south were designated as the Windward Islands. Later on, all islands north of Martinique became known as the Leeward Islands. [3]
The first European to encounter the archipelago was British naval officer James Cook on 12 April 1769 during a British expedition the purpose of which was to observe the transit of Venus. He later revisited the islands twice more. It is a common misconception that he named the Leeward group of islands "Society" in honor of the Royal Society ...
Antigua. / 17.08500°N 61.80000°W / 17.08500; -61.80000. Antigua ( / ænˈtiːɡə / ann-TEE-gə ), [2] also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda.
Montserrat (/ ˌ m ɒ n t s ə ˈ r æ t / MONT-sə-RAT) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about 16 km (10 mi) long and 11 km (7 mi) wide, with roughly 40 km (25 mi) of coastline. [6]
Nevis ( / ˈniːvɪs / NEE-viss) is an island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a singular nation state.
Saint Kitts became home to the first Caribbean British and French colonies in the mid-1620s. [2] [3] Along with the island of Nevis, Saint Kitts was a member of the British West Indies until gaining independence on 19 September 1983. [4] The island is one of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles.
Anguilla ( / æŋˈɡwɪlə / ang-GWIL-ə) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. [6] It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. [7]