Great Inagua

 island  Add category

Inagua is actually two separate islands, Great Inagua and Little Inagua, covering 645 square miles. Together, they form the most southern tip of The Islands Of The Bahamas, where they are positioned less than 60 miles from the coasts of Cuba and Haiti.

Contrary to popular belief, Inagua is not an anagram for iguana. That herbivorous animal is found on several other islands, but is not common to Inagua's shores, nor has one ever been sighted there. Inagua is believed to have been originally named Heneagua by English settlers, which means “water to be found here,” a corruption of two Spanish words, heno (full) and agua (water). The origin of the current name is unclear, but Spanish maps from around 1601 have the island labeled as Ynagua.

Inagua’s historical industries included salt raking and stevedoring. Today, the principal industry is still salt production, with fishing, diving, snorkelling and other water-related activities complementing other tourism efforts.