Antigua, which at 108 square mi (280 square km) is the largest of the British Leeward Islands, is renowned among sailors for its nautical history. For Anglophiles and history buffs, English Harbour and the surrounding villages and sites are also immensely rewarding. And Antigua seduces landlubbers and sailors alike with its sensuous beaches, 365 in all -- one for every day of the year, as locals like to boast. All are public, some are deserted, and others, particularly in the northwest, are lined with resorts that offer dining, nightlife, shopping, sailing, diving, windsurfing, and snorkeling.

The original inhabitants of Antigua were the Ciboney. They lived here 4,000 years ago and disappeared mysteriously, leaving the island unpopulated for about 1,000 years. When Columbus arrived in 1493, the Arawaks had set up housekeeping. The English took up residence in 1632. After 30-odd years of bloody battles involving the Caribs, the Dutch, the French, and the English, the French ceded Antigua to the English in 1667. Antigua remained under English control until achieving full independence on November 1, 1981, along with its sister island, Barbuda, 26 mi (42 km) to the north.

Tourism is the leading industry here, but Antigua maintains a strong sense of national identity to match its rich historic inheritance. Its cricketers, like the legendary Viv Richards, are famous throughout the world.