Isla Fernando
Native name: Isla Fernando | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Fernando Island | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°51′N 66°48′W / 11.850°N 66.800°W |
| Archipelago | Los Roques Archipelago |
| Area | 0.08 km2 (0.031 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Federal Dependency | Territorio Insular Francisco de Miranda |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| Pop. density | 0/km2 (0/sq mi) |
Fernando Island[1] or Cayo Fernando (Spanish: Isla Fernando) is the name of an island[2] in the Caribbean Sea (or Sea of the Antilles) that belongs to the South American country of Venezuela[3] [4]It is included within the Lesser Antilles, specifically northwest of the Los Roques Archipelago[5][6] and national park.
It is located just north of the Ensenada de los Corales, south of Isla Larga, southeast of Mosquito Island, and west of Cayo Blanca España. Administratively, it is part of the Territorio Insular Miranda, a subdivision of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela. It has an approximate surface area of 8 hectares (equivalent to 0.08 square kilometers) with a perimeter of 1.7 kilometers.
Geography
[edit]The island presents a varied geography characterized by its completely flat relief and its elongated, irregular shape. The island extends horizontally, featuring a narrower and more elongated western end that widens toward the center and the east. This coastal territory combines areas of clear sands with sectors covered by dense tropical vegetation, which provides a highly striking color contrast between the green of the plants and the arid tones of the treeless land.
One of the most important geographical features of Fernando Island is the presence of internal bodies of water, such as brackish lagoons located in its central and eastern zones. These lagoons, mostly surrounded by thick mangrove forests, visually divide the island's surface and create unique internal ecosystems that vary in shade depending on the depth and concentration of sediments. The relief is extremely low, with no mountains or high hills, which exposes the surface directly to marine conditions and the constant breezes of the Caribbean Sea, forming a typically coastal and semi-desert landscape in its cleared areas.
Human intervention in the island's geography is notable mainly in its western sector, where the terrain is lower and flatter. A small fishing settlement is located in this area, featuring simple constructions scattered across the sand, connected by natural paths and dirt tracks that cross the arid zones. The shores of this section function as a natural harbor with calm waters where small fishing vessels anchor, taking advantage of the protection provided by the island's natural barriers against the strong waves of the open sea.
The marine environment surrounding Fernando Island is an essential component of its general geography, standing out for its extensive areas of shallow waters and reefs. Satellite imagery reveals a transition of colors in the water ranging from a very clear and transparent turquoise blue near the white sand coast, to a deep dark blue as the seabed drops abruptly. This shallow platform surrounding the island is composed of sandbanks and coral formations visible to the naked eye, which serve as a protective barrier and define the natural boundaries of this insular territory.[7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "parkswatch.org" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Trujillo, William Williams (1980). Las maravillosas islas venezolanas (in Spanish). Publicaciones Seleven.
- ↑ Moreno, Antonio Arellano (1976). Mirador de historia política de Venezuela (in Spanish). Editorial Mediterráneo. ISBN 978-84-7156-002-5.
- ↑ Nacional, Venezuela Oficina Central del Censo (1959). Octavo censo general de población, 26 de noviembre de 1950: Estado Zulia, territorios y dependencias federales (in Spanish).
- ↑ Zamarro, Javier (2003). Guía del Parque Nacional Archipiélago Los Roques (in Spanish). Ecograph.
- ↑ Novo, Isabel (1997). Ciencia y conservación en el sistema de parques nacionales de Venezuela: una experiencia de cooperación interinstitucional (in Spanish). EcoNatura. ISBN 978-980-07-4249-5.
- ↑ Amend, Thora (1992). Parque Nacional Archipiélago Los Roques (in Spanish). Fundación Polar. ISBN 978-980-07-0744-9.
- ↑ Brushaber, Susan; Greenberg, Arnold (1997-10-01). Venezuela Alive. Hunter Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1-55650-800-4.