The early Spanish colonizers called Puerto Rico and the islands to the west "Sotavento", meaning 'leeward'. The islands to the south and east of Puerto Rico were then called "Islas de Barlovento", meaning 'windward islands'. When the British gained control of many of the Lesser Antilles, they designated Antigua, Montserrat and the islands to the north as the "Leeward Islands". Guadeloupe and the islands to the south were designated as the "Windward Islands". Later on, all islands north of Martinique became known as the Leeward Islands. Dominica was transferred to the British Windward Islands in 1940, and is now considered to be part of the Windward Islands.