Federal Dependencies of Venezuela

Federal Dependencies of Venezuela
Dependencies

Flag

Location in Venezuela
Created 2012
Capital Gran Roque
Islands and Groups
Area
  Total 342 km2 (132 sq mi)
Population (2011 Census)
  Total 2,155
Time zone UTC-4:30

The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela (Spanish Dependencias Federales de Venezuela) encompass most of Venezuela's offshore islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Venezuela, excluding those islands which form the State of Nueva Esparta. These islands, with a total area of 342 square kilometres, are sparsely populated according to the preliminary results of the 2011 Census only 2,155 people live there permanently, with another hundred from Margarita Island who live there seasonally to engage in fishing. Local government is under the authority of the mayor of Caracas.[1][2][3][4]

Geography

The federal dependencies are composed of 600 islands and smaller formations; many have an area of less than 10,000 square metres and are essentially simple rocks. The largest island, La Tortuga, accounts for almost half of the territory of the federal dependencies.

Dependencias Federales stretch for 900 km (560 mi) along the coast from Archipiélago Los Monjes in the west at the Gulf of Venezuela to Isla de Patos southeast of Isla Margarita at the Gulf of Paria in the east.

Los Roques Archipelago

Biogeographical area

The World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions groups the islands, excluding the abyssal Aves Island, into an area it calls the "Venezuelan Antilles" (Level 3 code "VNA").

Principal islands and groups

These are set out below:


Political Map Federal Administrative Agencies numbering based on the table of islands
Nr. Island or group Surface
km2
Population
2011 Census
(preliminary return)
Members Islands Coordinates
Within the Continental Shelf
1Los Monjes Archipelago0.20-Monjes del Norte - Monje del Este - Monjes del Sur 12°21′N 70°55′W / 12.350°N 70.917°W / 12.350; -70.917
2La Tortuga Island156.60-Isla La Tortuga - Islas Los Tortuguillos - Cayo Herradura - Los Palanquines - Cayos de Ño Martín - Islote El Vapor - Cayos de Punta de Ranchos10°55′N 80°31′W / 10.917°N 80.517°W / 10.917; -80.517
3La Sola Island0.0005-Isla La Sola11°18′N 63°34′W / 11.300°N 63.567°W / 11.300; -63.567
4Los Testigos Islands6,53172Isla Conejo - Isla Iguana - Isla Morro Blanco - Isla Rajada - Isla Noroeste - Peñón de Fuera - Isla Testigo Grande11°22′N 63°06′W / 11.367°N 63.100°W / 11.367; -63.100
5Los Frailes Islands1.92-Chepere - Guacaraida - Puerto Real - Nabobo - Cominoto - Macarare - Guairiare - Guacaraida - La Balandra - La Peche11°12′N 63°44′W / 11.200°N 63.733°W / 11.200; -63.733
Outside of the Continental Shelf
6Patos Island (Este)0.60-Isla de Patos Este10°38′N 61°52′W / 10.633°N 61.867°W / 10.633; -61.867
7
(Note A)
Los Roques Archipelago40.611,471Gran Roque - Cayo Francisquí - Isla Larga - Nordisquí - Madrisquí - Crasquí - Dos Mosquises - Cayo Sal - Cayo Nube Verde - Cayo Grande - Noronquí - Espenquí - Cayo Carenero - Cayo Selesquí - Cayo Bequevé - Cayo de Agua - Cayo Grande 11°51′N 66°45′W / 11.850°N 66.750°W / 11.850; -66.750
8Blanquilla Island64.53-Isla La Blanquilla11°50′N 64°35′W / 11.833°N 64.583°W / 11.833; -64.583
9Los Hermanos Archipelago2.14-La Orquilla - Isla Los Morochos - Isla Grueso - Isla Pico (ó Isla Pando) - Isla Fondeadero - Isla Chiquito11°45′N 64°25′W / 11.750°N 64.417°W / 11.750; -64.417
10
(Note A)
Orchila Island40.00-Isla La Orchila - Cayo Agua - Cayo Sal - Cayo Noreste11°47′N 66°10′W / 11.783°N 66.167°W / 11.783; -66.167
11
(Note A)
Las Aves Archipelago3.35-Isla Aves de Barlovento - Isla Tesoro - Cayo Bubi - Cayo de Las Bobas - Isla Aves de Sotavento - Isla Larga - Cayo Tirra - Isla Saquisaqui - Cayos de La Colonia - Isla Maceta - Cayo Sterna12°00′N 67°40′W / 12.000°N 67.667°W / 12.000; -67.667
Abyssal
12Aves Island (Norte)0.045-Isla de Aves15°40′N 67°37′W / 15.667°N 67.617°W / 15.667; -67.617
 Federal Dependencies of Venezuela342.252,155  
  • Note A: within the Dependencias Federales, the Archipiélago Los Roques, the Archipiélago Las Aves and the Isla La Orchila together comprise the Territorio Insular Francisco de Miranda, which was established on November 10, 2011.[5]

See also

Cayo Herradura, La Tortuga Island

References

  1. Vila, Marco Aurelio. 1967: Aspectos geográficos de las Dependencias Federales. Corporación Venezolana de Fomento. Caracas. 115p.
  2. República de Venezuela y República Dominicana. 1981: Tratado de relimitación de áreas marinas y submarinas entre la República de Venezuela y República Dominicana. Ministerio de la Defensa. Caracas. 8p.
  3. Cervigon, Fernando. 1995: Las Dependencias Federales. Academia Nacional de la Historia. Caracas. 193p.
  4. Hernández Caballero, Serafín (Editor). 1998: Gran Enciclopedia de Venezuela. Editorial Globe, C.A. Caracas. 10 volúmenes. ISBN 980-6427-00-9 ISBN 980-6427-10-6
  5. El Territorio Insular Francisco de Miranda

Coordinates: 12°21′N 70°55′W / 12.350°N 70.917°W / 12.350; -70.917

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