// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Isla de Loco say to its friend? "Sea" you later.
 Interactive map of Isla de Loco | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°52′12″N 66°42′05″W / 11.87000°N 66.70139°W |
| Archipelago | Los Roques Archipelago |
| Area | 0.09 km2 (0.035 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Venezuela | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Isla de Loco (also written as Isla del loco,[1] Isla Loco[2] or Cayo Purquí) is the name given to a small Caribbean island in Venezuela,[3] located in the Lesser Antilles in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea.[4] Geographically, it is fully included within the Los Roques Archipelago,[5] in the north-central part of that South American nation. Administratively, it forms part of the Miranda Insular Territory, which is a strategic subdivision of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela.[6] It covers an approximate surface area of 9 hectares, making it a small but ecologically significant key within the national park system.
History
[edit]The island was an integral part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela during the period of Spanish colonization and later, within independent Venezuela, it was officially included in the Colón Federal Territory between the years 1871 and 1908, before becoming part of the Federal Dependencies since 1938. In 1972, the entire island was integrated into the Los Roques National Park to protect its fragile marine biodiversity. Until 2011, it formed part of the Single Area Authority of Los Roques, which was eventually liquidated to establish the new local government of the Insular Territory.
Geography
[edit]The island has an approximate area of 9 hectares (equivalent to 0.09 square kilometers) with a total perimeter of 1.38 kilometers. It is located southeast of Crasquí, east of Agustín Island (also traditionally called Prestonquí), west of Rabusquí, northwest of Burquí, and east of Isla Larga. Isla de Loco is a small key with an irregular shape that is strategically positioned within the intricate reef network of the Los Roques Archipelago. Towards the east, the island connects almost continuously through shallow waters with the western coast of Rabusquí, a larger island that stands out for its dense vegetation zones.
On the other hand, towards the west and northwest, Isla de Loco shares maritime space with Agustín Island and with the more remote areas of Crasquí. To the south, the landscape is completely dominated by the wide extension of the Punta Tiburón Lagoon. This unique marine environment creates a natural corridor of protected waters with a very shallow depth that significantly facilitates sedimentation and defines the local coastal dynamics. The interior of Isla de Loco presents a highly interesting and diverse internal geography despite its reduced size.
Its land surface is dominated by arid terrains with sandy, brown, and reddish tones, intermittently covered by low shrubs and xerophytic vegetation adapted to the saline conditions of the Caribbean Sea. The most striking geographical feature of its northern section is the presence of an internal lagoon or saltwater lagoon. This body of stagnant water exhibits greenish and brownish hues due to the shallow depth and the concentration of organic sediments. Bordering the eastern flank of this internal lagoon, a dense strip of mangrove vegetation develops with an intense dark green color.
This mangrove acts as a protective natural barrier against the erosion caused by the trade winds and northern marine currents. The coastline of Isla de Loco exhibits very marked contrasts between its different geographical aspects. The entire northern and western periphery of the island is fully exposed to the open sea, protected only by a barrier of submerged coral reefs that causes water tones to change drastically from deep marine blue to light turquoise. In absolute contrast with the wild nature of the north, the southeastern end of the island extends into a narrow peninsula.
This narrow and elongated peninsula of white sand points directly towards the south. In this section of exceptionally calm, crystalline, and shallow waters, a small infrastructure or settlement with roofed structures built directly on the sand can be appreciated. Along with this tongue of land, the calmness of the sea allows for the safe shelter of various boats, converting this specific point into the main zone of access and human contact for the key, supporting small-scale local maritime activities and ecotourism.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Antczak, María Magdalena; Antczak, Andrzej T. (2006). Los ídolos de las islas prometidas: arqueología prehispánica del archipiélago de los Roques (in Spanish). Equinoccio. ISBN 978-980-237-236-2.
- ↑ Montalbán (in Spanish). Universidad Católica "Andrés Bello," Facultad de Humanidades y Educación, Institutos Humanísticos de Investigación. 1972.
- ↑ Acta biológica venezuelica (in Spanish). Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela. 1995.
- ↑ Institute, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries (1996). Proceedings of the ... Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. University of Miami.
- ↑ Amend, Thora (1992). Parque Nacional Archipiélago Los Roques (in Spanish). Fundación Polar. ISBN 978-980-07-0744-9.
- ↑ Cervigón, Fernando (1995). Las dependencias federales (in Spanish). Biblioteca de la Academia Nacional de la Historia. ISBN 978-980-222-729-7.