Islas Marías

Islas Marías
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 21°31′N 106°29′W / 21.517°N 106.483°W / 21.517; -106.483Coordinates: 21°31′N 106°29′W / 21.517°N 106.483°W / 21.517; -106.483
Archipelago Islas Marías
Total islands 9
Major islands María Madre, María Magdalena, María Cleofas & San Juanito
Area 244.970 km2 (94.583 sq mi)
Highest elevation 616 m (2,021 ft)
Highest point Punta Rocallosa
Administration
Mexico
State Nayarit
Municipality San Blas, Nayarit
Largest settlement Puerto Balleto (pop. 602)
Demographics
Population 1,116 (2005)
Pop. density 7.68 /km2 (19.89 /sq mi)

The Islas Marías ("Mary Islands") are an archipelago of four islands that belong to Mexico. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, some 100 km (62 mi) off the coast of the state of Nayarit and about 230 miles (370 km) southeast of the tip of Baja California.[1][2] They are part of the municipality (municipio) of San Blas, Nayarit. As of 2011, the islands are still being used as a penal colony, containing the Islas Marías Federal Prison.

In 2010 the archipelago was designated the Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO[3][4]

Geography

The islands have an aggregate area of 244.970 km². 1,116 people lived on Isla María Madre as of the census of 2005 along with around 8000 prisoners.[5] The other islands are uninhabited. The main settlement is Puerto Balleto, with a population of 602.

Isla María Madre is the largest of the islands, with a surface area of 145.282 km². It houses the Islas Marías Federal Prison which was established there in 1905. The next two largest islands are Isla María Magdalena (70.440 km²) and, further south, Isla María Cleofas (19.818 km²). They were named after three women called Mary in the Biblical New Testament: respectively, Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and are referred to as the Tres Marias. A smaller island, Isla San Juanito, with an area of 9.105 km² lies off the north coast of Isla María Madre.[6]

The islands are listed from north to south in the following table:

Island or RockArea
km²		Height
m		Location
San Juanito9.105.21°44′48″N 106°40′41″W / 21.74667°N 106.67806°W / 21.74667; -106.67806 (San Juanito)
Piedra El Morro0.060.21°44′17″N 106°42′11″W / 21.73806°N 106.70306°W / 21.73806; -106.70306 (Piedra El Morro)
María Madre145.28261621°36′57″N 106°34′42″W / 21.61583°N 106.57833°W / 21.61583; -106.57833 (María Madre)
Isla Don Boni0.025.21°32′30″N 106°32′00″W / 21.54167°N 106.53333°W / 21.54167; -106.53333 (Isla Don Boni)
María Magdalena70.44045721°27′44″N 106°25′48″W / 21.46222°N 106.43000°W / 21.46222; -106.43000 (María Magdalena)
María Cleofas19.81840221°18′44″N 106°14′51″W / 21.31222°N 106.24750°W / 21.31222; -106.24750 (María Cleofas)
Piedra Blanca0.172.21°19′01″N 106°17′09″W / 21.31694°N 106.28583°W / 21.31694; -106.28583 (Piedra Blanca)
Roca Blanca0.034.21°17′44″N 106°16′07″W / 21.29556°N 106.26861°W / 21.29556; -106.26861 (Roca Blanca)
Unnamed Rock0.034.21°17′52″N 106°16′35″W / 21.29778°N 106.27639°W / 21.29778; -106.27639 (Unnamed Rock)
Islas Marías244.97061621°32′N 106°28′W / 21.533°N 106.467°W / 21.533; -106.467 (Islas Marías)

The first European to discover the islands was Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, a cousin of Hernan Cortez in 1532, who gave them the name Islas Magdalenas. He found no evidence of prior habitation by the Native Americans.

In addition to prisoners, on Maria Madre island there are employees of diverse institutions of the federal government, such as the Secretariat of Public Education, the Secretariat of the Environment, the Secretariat of Communications and Transport, post office, and the Secretariat of the Navy. Another group of settlers is made up of religious ministers and acolytes of the Catholic Church, nuns of the Order of Social Service, and invited teachers, technicians and their relatives.

The colony is governed by a state official who is both the governor of the islands and chief judge. The military command is independent and is exercised by an officer of the Mexican Navy.

Populated places

All populated places of the Islas Marías are on Isla María Madre. They are listed from north to south in the following table:

Populated PlacePopulation (Census 2005)Location
Punta el Morro-21°41′45″N 106°39′19″W / 21.69583°N 106.65528°W / 21.69583; -106.65528 (Punta el Morro)
Venustiano Carranza (Serradero, Aserradero)-21°40′45″N 106°36′45″W / 21.67917°N 106.61250°W / 21.67917; -106.61250 (Venustiano Carranza)
Campamento Cica (Bugambilias)19021°40′15″N 106°37′45″W / 21.67083°N 106.62917°W / 21.67083; -106.62917 (Campamento Cica)
Campamento Nayarit5121°39′00″N 106°32′20″W / 21.65000°N 106.53889°W / 21.65000; -106.53889 (Campamento Nayarit)
Campamento Rehilete7121°38′44″N 106°32′29″W / 21.64556°N 106.54139°W / 21.64556; -106.54139 (Campamento Rehilete)
Puerto Balleto (Isla María Madre)60221°37′58″N 106°32′21″W / 21.63278°N 106.53917°W / 21.63278; -106.53917 (Puerto Balleto)
Zacatal-21°37′44″N 106°35′26″W / 21.62889°N 106.59056°W / 21.62889; -106.59056 (Zacatal)
Camarón-21°37′26″N 106°37′55″W / 21.62389°N 106.63194°W / 21.62389; -106.63194 (Camarón)
Campamento Hospital (Veinte de Noviembre)5321°37′34″N 106°31′55″W / 21.62611°N 106.53194°W / 21.62611; -106.53194 (Campamento Hospital)
Las Antenas221°37′15″N 106°36′18″W / 21.62083°N 106.60500°W / 21.62083; -106.60500 (Las Antenas)
Campamento Morelos (José María Morelos)9821°36′04″N 106°30′47″W / 21.60111°N 106.51306°W / 21.60111; -106.51306 (Campamento Morelos)
Campamento San Juan Papelillo1821°35′30″N 106°36′26″W / 21.59167°N 106.60722°W / 21.59167; -106.60722 (Campamento San Juan Papelillo)
Borbollón (Borbollones)-21°34′15″N 106°31′00″W / 21.57083°N 106.51667°W / 21.57083; -106.51667 (Borbollón)
Campamento Laguna del Toro3121°34′08″N 106°32′37″W / 21.56889°N 106.54361°W / 21.56889; -106.54361 (Campamento Laguna del Toro)
Punta Halcones-21°32′45″N 106°32′30″W / 21.54583°N 106.54167°W / 21.54583; -106.54167 (Punta Halcones)
Isla María Madre111621°36′57″N 106°34′42″W / 21.61583°N 106.57833°W / 21.61583; -106.57833 (Isla María Madre)

Each populated center features a different economic activity. The primary population center is Puerto Balleto, the location of the administrative offices and the primary centers of commerce and recreation. It is subdivided into four jefaturas:

  1. Balleto, 21°38′02″N 106°32′21″W / 21.63389°N 106.53917°W / 21.63389; -106.53917 (Balleto)
  2. Bellavista, 21°38′19″N 106°32′30″W / 21.63861°N 106.54167°W / 21.63861; -106.54167 (Bellavista)
  3. Unit Habitacional Miguel Hidalgo (UHMH), 21°38′13″N 106°32′26″W / 21.63694°N 106.54056°W / 21.63694; -106.54056 (Unit Habitacional Miguel Hidalgo)
  4. Primero de Mayo, 21°38′20″N 106°32′23″W / 21.63889°N 106.53972°W / 21.63889; -106.53972 (Primero del Mayo)

Weather

The temperature of island mean remain between 29 and 32 degrees Celsius throughout the year.[7][8] In April, May and June some time temperature cross the limit of thirty five degree Celsius. In December Jan and Feb the temperature remain under twenty five degrees. Sometime the temperature may drop under twenty degree Celsius. Most of the time weather remain dry but July, August and September may receive the rain up to 10mm. The average wind speed remain between twelve and nineteen km/hour. The below chart shows the maximum and minimum temperature.[9]

Unit Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius Celsius
Mean Daily Max 29 29 31 32 34 34 32 31 31 31 31 29
Mean Daily Min 13 14 15 17 19 22 24 24 24 22 18 15
Month Jan Fab March April May June July August September October November December

Light house

The lighhouse was constructed by the Govt. of Mexico and is named San Bias lighhouse.[10] The height of tower is two hundred feet's, sixty two meters.[11] The light house main gallery is painted as white while the strip of lighthouse is colored in red and white color.[12][13] The lighthouse is made of concrete and a large single story keeper house is also constructed with lighthouse. The light house trough two white flashes every ten seconds. The diameter of the light house is 7 meters.[14]

Prison of Isla Maria

The main prison is constructed in 1905.[15]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Marías Islands | archipelago, Mexico". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  2. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  3. ↑ "Designation of New Biosphere Reserves". UNESCO. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Islas María". UNESCO. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  6. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  7. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  8. ↑ "Climate Puerto Balleto (Isla María Madre)". meteoblue. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  9. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  10. ↑ "Lighthouses of Mexico: Northwest Coast". www.ibiblio.org. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  11. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  12. ↑ "UAE Tours - Isla Maria Madre Islands, Temperature and other details". www.vjcyber.com. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  13. ↑ "Lighthouses of Mexico: Northwest Coast". www.ibiblio.org. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  14. ↑ "Lighthouses of Mexico: Northwest Coast". www.ibiblio.org. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  15. ↑ "Marías Islands | archipelago, Mexico". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-08-07.

References

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