Formerly known as Wadadli, the West Indies island of Antigua was named by Christopher Columbus in 1492 in honor of Santa María de la Antigua, the Virgin of Antiquity. About 30,000 people live in the capital city of St. John’s. Dominating the colorful rooftops is St. John’s Cathedral. The two islands of Antigua and Barbuda, along with several islets, became an independent state from the United Kingdom in 1981.
