ANTIIIITA, a West India island, the most important of the Leeward islands (see ANTILLES), and the residence of the governor-in-chief of the British portion of the group. It lies in w. long., between 61° 44' and 61° 58'; and in n. lat., between 17° 2' and 17° 13'. Its area was estimated, in 1870, at 117,120 acres, of which about 100,000 were under cultivation. In 1871, the population of A. was 34,344, yielding to a sq.m. an average of exactly 318 inhabitants. It was first settledin 1632, having till then remained, in fact, uninhabited on account of the great scarcity of fresh water. It has twice suffered severely from earthquakes—in 1689 and 1843; while of hurricanes also, the other heavy scourge of the group, A. has had its full share. Numerous islets, rocks, and shoals border the shore, so that, generally speaking, access is difficult and dangerous. But St. John's, the chief t., stands at the head of a safe and capacious hay, which unfortunately, however, does not admit large vessels. English Harbor is, on the whole, a more commodious port, and has been selected as the station of the royal mail steam-packets. It is said to be capable of receiving the largest ships in the British navy.
A. is chiefly of tertiary formation. The s. and w. show grauwacke, porphyry, trap, breccia, amygdaloid, and basaltic greenstone; the n. and e. exhibit calcareous marl and
coarse sandstone, interspersed with blocks of limestone; while the interior presents argil laceous strata and irregular beds of coarse flint.
Besides provisions, generally almost sufficient for its own consumption, A. produces large quantities of sugar, molasses, and rum. In this respect, the emancipation of the slaves appears to have been rather beneficial than otherwise. In 1875, the total tonnage of vessels (exclusive of the coasting-trade) which entered and cleared A. was 60,577, and of these 50,913 were British, and the other 9664 foreign. The total value of imports was, in the same year, £180,363; of exports, £249,677. The sugar exported in 1873 amounted in value to 2121,778: The value was, in 1856, 2301,740; in 1853, 2199,832; and in 1867, £87,398.
In connection generally with the emancipation of the slaves, of whom, immediately previous to the abolition of slavery, A. had about 30,000, it seems to have occupied a prominently creditable position. Immediately after the passing of the imperial statute on the subject, the local legislature, rejecting the intermediate and probationary state of apprenticeship, proclaimed unqualified freedom for 1st Aug., 1834—a bold measure, which proved to be as judicious as it was humane.