Immigrate to Antigua to learn about Antigua's city: St. John's, the capital and largest city of Antigua, where the spectacular Baroque-style St. John's Cathedral stands out. The cathedral was first built in 1845, and after earthquakes in 1683 and 1745 destroyed previous structures, it has undergone three renovations. These cathedrals are striking landmarks in Antigua, and about half of the annual tourists arrive here by cruise ship. With well-developed cruise, port, and hotel facilities, this place is a paradise for shoppers and food lovers.
St. John's is the largest natural harbor on the island of Antigua. The water depth at the harbor entrance reaches 50 meters, and the wide, calm waters provide convenient conditions for ocean-going vessels to dock. As early as the 18th century, St. John's was the most important supply station for the British naval fleet in the West Indies. Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour, originally a British naval base, was converted into a naval dockyard in 1889. The deep-water port mainly exports sugar and cotton, and imports food, machinery, hardwood, etc. There are small enterprises for assembly of imported components, as well as oil refining, sugar refining, textiles, and cold storage. It is a fishing base and tourism is very prosperous. There is an international airport 10 kilometers northeast of the city.
For tourists interested in history, the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is the best choice. The museum exhibits arts and crafts from the Arawak people and the colonial period unearthed on the island. St. John's is the center of the country's tourism and other service industries. In addition to tourism, there are wineries, power plants, small oil refineries, sugar mills, garment factories, and building material factories. The suburbs grow sea island cotton, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, and tropical fruits. The financial industry in St. John's is also quite active, with the Antigua Development Bank, the Antigua Commercial Bank, and branches of banks from the UK, Canada, Switzerland, and other countries.