and other places serving vacationers.
The city also depends on fishing and
shipbuilding.
In 1513 the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce
de Leon landed near what is now Saint
Augustine. He claimed the land for
Spain. Another Spanish explorer, Pedro
Menendez de Aviles, founded Saint
Augustine in 1565. In 1819 Spain gave
Florida to the United States.
..More to explore
Florida • Ponce de Leon, Juan
Saint George’s
Population
(2004
estimate), town,
4,300; (2001
estimate), urban
area, 35,560
Saint George’s is the capital of Grenada,
an island country in the eastern part of
the Caribbean Sea. It lies on the island’s
southwestern coast. It surrounds a deep,
scenic harbor called the Carenage.
Saint George’s is Grenada’s main port
and center of trade. Shipping goods
through the port is important to the
town’s economy. Tourism also brings
money to the town. The sites include
two forts from the 1700s and the
Grenada National Museum. Saint
A photograph taken from above shows the
Castillo de San Marcos. The Spanish built
the stone fort in Saint Augustine, Florida,
between 1672 and 1695.
10 Saint Augustine BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
George’s also has a university that specializes
in medical education.
French settlers founded Saint George’s
in 1650. Great Britain took over
Grenada in the late 1700s. From 1885
to 1958 Saint George’s was the capital
of the BritishWindward Islands, a
group of islands that were a British
colony. In 1974 Grenada became an
independent country. Saint George’s was
its capital.
Fighting took place in Saint George’s
when U.S. troops invaded Grenada in
1983. Hurricanes caused great damage
to the town in 2004 and 2005.
#More to explore
Grenada
Saint John’s
Population
(2004 estimate)
23,600
Saint John’s is the capital of Antigua and
Barbuda, an island country in the Caribbean
Sea. The city lies on the coast of
the island of Antigua. It is the country’s
largest city, main port, and business center.
It is also a popular vacation spot.
The main landmark in Saint John’s is
Saint John’s Cathedral. First built in
1681, it was rebuilt in the 1840s after
suffering earthquake damage. Other
attractions include Fort James, from the
1700s, and the Museum of Antigua and
Barbuda.
Tourism is the main industry in Saint
John’s. Banking and shipping goods
through the port also bring money to
the city.
British settlers founded Saint John’s as a
colony in 1632. The city had to be
rebuilt after severe earthquakes occurred
in 1690 and 1843. A fire in 1769 and a
hurricane in 1847 also damaged the city.
In 1981 Antigua and Barbuda became
an independent country with Saint
John’s as its capital.
#More to explore
Antigua and Barbuda
A sailing ship finds shelter in the harbor of
Saint George’s, Grenada.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Saint John’s 11
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a country of two
small islands in the eastern Caribbean
Sea. The capital and largest city is Basseterre.
Geography
Saint Kitts, sometimes called Saint
Christopher, is about twice the size of
Nevis. Nevis lies to the southeast of
Saint Kitts. The islands are part of the
region called theWest Indies.
An inactive volcano rises on Saint Kitts.
A mountain forms almost all of Nevis’
land. Saint Kitts has beaches of black
sand, while Nevis’ sand is white. Both
islands have hot, tropical weather.
Plants and Animals
Grasslands and rain forests grow on the
islands’ mountains. Animals include
green vervet monkeys, wild deer, and
mongooses. Spiny lobsters, parrot fish,
and hammerhead sharks live in the
waters around the islands.
People
Most of the country’s people have black
African ancestors. There are also small
groups of Asians and whites. Most of the
population is Christian. English is the
main language. Most people live in the
countryside.
Economy
The economy depends on tourism,
banking, and the sale of sugar. The sugar
is made from sugarcane, which grows all
over Saint Kitts. Farmers on Nevis grow
mostly cotton, vegetables, and coconuts.
Manufacturers on the islands make electronics,
beverages, and clothing.
History
The first people on the islands were
American Indians. Christopher Columbus
visited the islands in 1493. The
English settled on both islands in the
early 1600s. They brought in Africans to
work as slaves on sugar plantations.
The English and the French fought over
the islands until the 1780s. Then the
English officially took control. In 1882
Great Britain combined Saint Kitts,
Nevis, and the island of Anguilla into
one colony. Anguilla broke away in
1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis became an
independent country in 1983. In 1998
Nevis voted against separating from
Saint Kitts.
..More to explore
Basseterre •West Indies
Facts About
SAINT KITTS
AND NEVIS
Population
(2008 estimate)
51,300
Area
104 sq mi (269
sq km)
Capital
Basseterre
Form of
government
Constitutional
monarchy
Major cities
Basseterre,
Charlestown
12 Saint Kitts and Nevis BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Saint Lawrence
River and Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway connects
the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean in
eastern North America. The Saint
Lawrence River is just one part of the
long seaway system. The seaway allows
