An island in the Lesser Antilles, one of the Leeward Islands. With Barbuda and Redonda, an uninhabited island, it constitutes the independent state of Antigua and Barbuda. Its capital is St. Johns. It was discovered by Columbus in 1493, settled by the English in 1632, occupied by the French in 1666, returned to the British in 1667, became self-governing in 1967 and independent in 1981. It was named by Columbus after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (St. Mary the Ancient) in Seville. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p56; Antigua and Barbuda Embassy (telephone 202-362-5122); Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p24).