Antigua is an island in the Caribbean Sea, in the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles. It is the main island of the country Antigua and Barbuda, which also includes Barbuda and a tiny rocky island called Redonda. The capital is St. John's. English is the everyday language; the islands were a British colony and became independent in 1981. People come for the beaches, sailing, and an old British navy harbour called Nelson's Dockyard. Though actually the Spanish name does not mean Columbus thought the island was ancient. He named it after a holy image of St Mary in Seville, La Virgen de la Antigua. Say it an-TEE-gah — not an-tig-YOU-ah, which is what the English spelling tempts you to do. The country's full name is longer than the island's: Antigua is the island most visitors mean; Barbuda is its quieter sister.