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92-557: The Los Roques Archipelago (Spanish: Archipiélago de Los Roques ) is a federal dependency of Venezuela consisting of approximately 350 islands , cays , and islets in a total area of 40.61 km (15.68 sq mi). The archipelago is located 128 km (80 mi) directly north of the port of La Guaira , in the Caribbean Sea . The islands' pristine coral reef attracts many wealthy visitors, especially from Europe, some of whom come in their own yachts and anchor in

184-537: A Federal State nor that of an Autonomous Municipality. It is a special administrative division provided for in Article 17 of the Constitution : "Federal dependencies are maritime islands not integrated into the territory of a State, as well as islands which are formed or appear in the territorial sea or on the continental shelf. Their description, geographical position, regime and administration shall be set out in

276-489: A Head of Government ( Jefe de Gobierno ) who is freely appointed and removed by the President of Venezuela. The Venezuelan islands represent a tourist-recreational potential, with several attractions located inside and outside the mainland, as well as a diversity of tropical beaches and large coral formations. Los Roques Archipelago, together with Aves Island and La Orchila Island form the "oceanic islands", separated from

368-641: A diplomatic problem occurred between Venezuela and Colombia due to the incursion of Colombian and US frigates. In recent years the Los Roques Airport has been expanded and remodeled and various structures have been built and renovated. On La Tortuga Island an ecological hotel was built and several buildings were erected to attract tourism. 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

460-471: A great environmental impact on the reefs, which leads to their destruction. The mangrove ecosystem is one of the most characteristic of the tropical zone and is very well represented in some of the islands of the Federal Dependencies. They constitute coastal forests of incredible biodiversity and are, therefore, one of the most productive and diverse in the world. Their ecological function

552-442: A large number of animals and plants that depend on the processes of the coastal dynamics. The beaches are home to diatoms, algae, mollusks and planktonic organisms that serve as a food base for the species that frequent them. In the sedimentary ecosystems of beaches associated with sea grass ecosystems, nesting phenomena of sea turtles also occur. In this sense, Aves Island is one of the most important green turtle nesting sites in

644-508: A new Law of Political Territorial Division was decreed, where the creation of the Province of Margarita was resolved. One of its cantons, called Cantón Norte, was composed of 10 parishes, of which 4 are part of what today are some of the current Federal Dependencies, these are San Juan and the islands of Tortuga, Blanquilla, Testigos and Aves de Barlovento with all those that are adjacent to them. The US began exploiting guano on Aves Island in

736-596: A new organic law that repeals the 1938 law and establishes that the political and administrative organization of the departments will be articulated through island territories and minor development districts. On October 27 the law was endorsed by the Supreme Court of Justice and published in Official Gazette 39.787. In August 2011, the President of the Republic, using his legislative powers, promulgated

828-700: A prickly pear cactus or guasábara ( Opuntia caribea ) and a crop or melon cactus ( Melocactus caesius ). Due to extreme environmental conditions and a lack of fresh water, land animals are rare. The list is limited to a few species of iguanas and lizards , spiders and insects . The greater bulldog bat is the only indigenous land mammal. It is in the water where the immense richness becomes evident: 280 species of fish , 200 species of crustaceans , 140 species of mollusks , 61 species of corals , 60 species of sponges and 45 species of sea urchins and starfish . Dolphins, whales, manta rays and sea turtles abound. Four types of threatened turtles regularly nest in

920-512: A year, many of them day-visitors who come from Caracas and the mainland. The population of the Roques concentrates mainly on the island of Gran Roque and to a lesser extent its adjacent islets. In 1941, the population was estimated at 484 people. In 1950 it reached 559, and in 1987 663 permanent inhabitants. According to the Venezuelan census of 2001 1,209 inhabitants were counted. By 2008 it

1012-621: Is a sea turtle research center located on Dos Mosquises. Accommodations include Pez Raton Lodge, a property primarily used to host fishing guests, Posada Mediterraneo, a five-room inn which accommodates non-fishing guests, and dozens more like El Canto de la Ballena and Posada La Gaviota. (in Spanish) National Park Institute, Venezuela Federal dependencies of Venezuela The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela (Spanish: Dependencias Federales de Venezuela ) encompass most of Venezuela 's offshore islands in

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1104-416: Is an area that has been previously identified as a nursery area for lemon sharks . The most representative animals are the green sea turtle , pink queen conch , spiny lobster , typical coral reef fish and 92 species of birds. Los Roques is a meeting point for some 50 species of migratory birds from North America. Among the most frequent birds are the brown pelican , red-footed and brown boobies , and

1196-496: Is decisive as a site of reproduction, refuge and feeding of different species of terrestrial animals such as birds, reptiles and mammals, and marine life, such as molluscs, crustaceans and algae, among others. Some mangroves are important sanctuaries for the maintenance of some species that are born in nearby ecosystems, such as coral reefs or seagrass beds, which are currently threatened with extinction, such as some species of sea turtles. The main mangrove ecosystems are represented in

1288-520: Is estimated that the number inhabitants to be around 1,800. Its growth is limited because of restrictions involving the declaration as a national park in the 1970s. Most of the population is of Margariteño origin who came to the islands mainly to engage in fishing. Since the early twentieth century there has been a small influx of foreigners (mostly Italian). Tourism in Los Roques has had a significant boom in recent decades, before 1990 this territory

1380-538: Is officially under the authority of Central government in Caracas , although de facto power is often held by the heads of the sparse and somewhat isolated communities that decorate the territories. The origins of the population of the Federal Dependencies can be found in the Archipelago of Los Roques dating back to approximately 1200 BC, when it is believed that indigenous Caribs came from Curaçao , Aruba or

1472-581: The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Venezuela , excluding those islands that form the State of Nueva Esparta and some Caribbean coastal islands that are integrated with nearby states. 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

1564-588: The Dutch expelled from Araya by the Spaniards in 1605 settled in La Tortuga to exploit its salt mines until they were again evicted in 1631. In 1840 Agustín Codazzi made a description of the island mentioning also the extraction of salt. It was not until the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century that La Tortuga aroused the interest of scientists, who have studied its fauna and flora. One of

1656-661: The Kingdom of the Netherlands was signed. In 1987, the Los Roques Scientific Foundation carried out a registry, which allowed them to conclude that there were 847 inhabitants in Gran Roque. Only 663 of these were permanent inhabitants, and the remainder were sailors residing on Isla Margarita. In order to give greater dynamism to its administration and promote the sustainable development of

1748-639: The Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy , accompanied by three other ships of Russia's Northern Fleet , sailed from its base in Severomorsk on a cruise to the Caribbean Sea for a joint exercise with the Venezuelan Navy. This action represented the first major Russian power projection in that region since the end of the Cold War . The fleet of ships, headed by

1840-687: The US Virgin Islands . and the Netherlands (1978 Treaty between the Netherlands and Venezuela or Netherlands–Venezuela Boundary Treaty ) which set the limits with the Netherlands Antilles , then on July 17, 1983, it did the same with France. These three treaties establish Venezuela's current continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in the Caribbean Sea. On April 4, 1986, the National Directorate for

1932-445: The laughing gull or guanaguanare. Flocks of American flamingos are often seen. The archipelago, along with its surrounding waters, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of many bird species. Los Roques is a Federal Dependency that is administered directly by officials appointed by the central or federal government of Venezuela. Between 1990 and 2011

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2024-463: The "Venezuelan Antilles" (Level 3 code "VNA"). These are set out below: Coral reefs form one of the most valuable ecosystems on the planet, thanks to their biodiversity, their high productivity and their appreciated fishing resources. Six of the twelve islands of the Federal Dependencies have recent reef formations. Venezuela has some of the most important reef formations in the Caribbean , such as

2116-467: The 19th century the exploitation of salt mines and guano began. In 1871 the Venezuelan president Antonio Guzmán Blanco created by decree the Territorio Colón (Columbus Territory) which included Los Roques and other adjacent islands. The island of Gran Roque was named as the center of territorial government. Around the year 1886 there is reference to the arrival of inhabitants coming from

2208-628: The Caribbean Sea would come under the jurisdiction of the Captaincy General of Venezuela . With the Venezuelan independence, all the islands remained under Venezuelan rule and in the same way until the formation of Gran Colombia. In 1830, Venezuela seceded from Gran Colombia and regained sovereignty over its islands in the Caribbean. On March 30, 1845, Venezuela and Spain signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship in which Isabela II of Spain officially recognised Venezuela's independence and all

2300-501: The Caribbean Sea. On the other hand, as a whole, the white sand beaches of the reef complexes of Las Aves and Los Roques are qualified as the main attraction of the tourist offer of the Venezuelan Caribbean . Also, by their diversity, they are of great beauty those of the island La Tortuga, where beaches, arrows and points form the coastline . The beach ecosystems of this island are of diverse forms and, particularly, on

2392-662: The Central Coast, who formed the only ocumaroid settlement in the Venezuelan Antilles, where they exploited their natural resources and cultivated much of its artistic manifestations. A new migratory wave took place in 1300 approximately, when the carriers of the Valencioid ceramics arrived to the archipelago and settled in Dos Mosquises Sur. Between the 16th and 18th centuries salt was one of

2484-580: The Coordination of Border Development and Federal Departments was set up under the Ministry of the Interior and Justice to administer the territory. In October 2011, a new decree was approved as an organic law for the Federal Dependencies and island territories. A subdivision called Territorio Insular Francisco de Miranda was then created, which includes Los Roques, Las Aves and La Orchila. In 2015,

2576-525: The Coordination of Border Development and Federal Dependencies). Even though the Federal Dependencies does not form a federal state , it is part of the Island Region together with the State of Nueva Esparta . Currently, there are several proposals to solve the ambiguous condition of the Federal Dependencies, some currents of thought maintain that the islands should be integrated into the territories of

2668-641: The Dutch. The author M.D. Teenstra in 1836 still writes (in his book The Dutch West Indies ): "The Government of Curaçao also includes the uninhabited islets and rocks Little Curaçao, Aves, Roques and Orchilla." In the 18th century, the Sociedad Mercantil Real Compañía Guipuzcoana was established on the islands and the first islands of the archipelago ( Gran Roque , Carenero, Cayo Sal, etc.) were given their names. Also at that time, temporary fishermen began to arrive, and in

2760-699: The Federal Territory, establishing its capital in San Pedro de Coche; however, this decision was short-lived due to the protests the government received from Margarita Island. After three years, on August 31, 1908, the island was returned to Nueva Esparta and the Federal Territory of Colon was dissolved, establishing direct control of the islands by the National Executive. On July 4, 1938, the Ley Orgánica de las Dependencias Federales

2852-611: The Gran Roque (1.7 km (0.66 sq mi)). Other important islands are Francisqui , Nordisqui, Madrisquí , and Crasqui. The climate is warm and dry, with average annual temperature of 27.3 °C (81.1 °F) in July and August, reaches a maximum of 34 °, and between September and January are presented occasional rain, with relative humidity 83% annually. Rainfall is 256.6 mm (10.10 in) / year; minimum 6.6 mm (0.26 in) (April) and maximum 52.2 mm (2.06 in) (November). The wind blows constantly throughout

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2944-546: The Insular Territory of Miranda (a subdivision of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela) its budget and laws are established by the central or national government of Venezuela, through the national assembly based in Caracas, which sets the budget and controls the action of the government. The archipelago is sparsely populated, having about 1,500 permanent inhabitants; however it receives approximately 70,000 visitors

3036-450: The List of Wetlands of International Importance, as is the case of Los Roques National Park, which is promoting the conservation, integrated management and sustainable use of its resources ( Ramsar Convention , 1988). Its width can vary from less than 100 meters to several kilometers. Its apparent homogeneity is reflected by a tree structure arranged in bands, according to the adaptability of

3128-461: The Los Mogotes and El Carenero lagoons. In other places, they appear in smaller extension like in the lagoon sectors of Boca de Cangrejo and Boca de Palo. In the northeastern coast of the most northern island, Los Tortuguillos, find themselves with little development. On the island of La Blanquilla they are known in very specific places, in the form of narrow strips and of little development, in

3220-422: The Los Roques barrier reef is one of the best preserved in the Caribbean. The warm, clear water offers excellent visibility allowing divers of all skill levels the opportunity to see the great diversity of fish species and colorful aquatic plant life, both during the day and during night dives. Los Roques also offers several islands suitable for Windsurfing and Kitesurfing as the wind blows constantly throughout

3312-523: The Miranda Island Territory, it is composed of a Head of Government, a Secretary of Government, a legal consultancy and various secretariats, coordinating offices and sub-secretariats. The head of government is an official of free appointment and removal by the president of Venezuela. He remains in office as long as he enjoys the confidence of the central government. Los Roques archipelago has no legislative power of its own. Being part of

3404-739: The Nautical School, with Ensign Vicente Parrado as its first superintendent, was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers, months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, thus the Navy's origins start from this date, with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and participated in its first actions in

3496-537: The Venezuelan Navy became engaged in the conflict when it began to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the country. A ship departing from Puerto Rico attempted to ship aid into the Venezuelan port city of Puerto Cabello . Six vessels of the Venezuelan Navy, including the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate Almirante Brion and patrol boats, were deployed to prevent the entry of the aid shipment. The ship, carrying civilians, returned to Puerto Rico after

3588-471: The Venezuelan Navy threatened to "open fire" on the humanitarian ship. Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello , who ordered the return of the ship, stated that the act by the Venezuelan Navy was "unacceptable and shameful" and that Puerto Rico "notified our partners in the U.S. government about this serious incident". On 30 March 2020, the Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá sank after a collision with

3680-451: The Venezuelan government declared Los Roques a National Park in 1972. After its declaration as a national park, the Los Roques scientific foundation (Fundación Científica de Los Roques) was created, which established its laboratories and facilities on the island of Dos Mosquises, to carry out works on archeology, fish, turtles, mollusks, corals, sponges, fishing and oceanography. In 1978 the marine delimitation agreement between Venezuela and

3772-573: The Venezuelan islands except Coche, Cubagua, Margarita and Isla de Aves as Federal Territory Colón,4 which would be controlled by a governor appointed by the President of the Republic . Then, under the presidency of Joaquin Crespo , on July 4, 1895, the Aves Island was included within the Federal Territory by national decree. On May 16, 1905, Cipriano Castro decided to include Coche Island within

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3864-411: The archipelago Los Roques are very well-known, where they present/display better development; these are distributed ample and densely in the southeastern part of its islands and cays, represented by the four characteristic species. The predominant species is the red mangrove, followed in importance by the black mangrove. In the most consolidated and sandy places of the archipelago are sporadically found

3956-531: The archipelago have an atoll structure, with two external barriers formed by coral communities, and an inner lagoon and sandy shallows. The park consists of 40.61 km (15.68 sq mi), 1,500 km (580 sq mi) of coral reefs, 42 coral cays surrounding a shallow central lagoon of 400 km (150 sq mi), two barrier reefs (24 km (15 mi) east and 32 km (20 mi) south) and 300 sand banks, islands and cays, ranging in size from Cayo Grande (15.1 km (5.8 sq mi)) to

4048-489: The archipelago: loggerhead , green, leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles . This coastline shelters in its waters coral reefs with a wide diversity of species. In Los Roques National Park, nine different types of octocorals are located. The low concentration of octocorals is possibly due to the deeper average subsidence of the atolls in Los Roques. The reef of Sebastopol Lagoon in Archipelago Los Roques,

4140-585: The area for an hour, RCGS Resolute was informed through MRCC that assistance was not required as Naiguatá ' s crew had been rescued by the Venezuelan Navy. According to the Portuguese after-incident investigation, RCGS Resolute had departed Buenos Aires on 5 March and sailed to the Caribbean Sea . She was contacted by Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá on the night of 30 March. Two hours later, an unexpected change in Naiguatá ' s heading just before

4232-432: The arrival of fishermen from Margarita Island, who were bringing their families and settling in Los Roques. The islands were sighted by early Spanish navigators , and in 1589 the governor of the Venezuelan province ordered the formal takeover of these islands on behalf of the colony. The Dutch considered Los Roques to belong to their island territory of Curaçao because of its proximity to Bonaire which also belonged to

4324-704: The campaigns in Guayana in 1811-12, the baptism of fire for the fledgling naval service. Colonel Antonio Mendoza from the Venezuelan Army was its first commanding general. For a long time their vessels, even if obsolete, were maintained properly by its sailors. In 1937 the Navy acquired from Italy two gunboats of the Azio class and rechristened them General Soublette and General Urdaneta ; these ships were retained in service until 1951 (for other sources in 1948 or 1950 ) and scrapped later. In September 2008,

4416-553: The case of the Los Roques Archipelago this was administered by a Single Area Authority (Created in 1990) also appointed by him, which had jurisdiction over the territory of the national park of the same name until 2011. On October 15, 2011, the central government of Venezuela issued a decree with the rank, value and force of organic law that created new legislation for the Federal Departments, through

4508-554: The central government appointed a director for the Single Area Authority ( Autoridad Única de Área ) within the Federal Dependencies, but that last year the central government created the figure of the Miranda Insular Territory ( Territorio Insular ) that encompasses not only Los Roques but La Orchila and Las Aves Archipelago . The headquarters of the head of government ( Jefe de Gobierno ) of

4600-471: The closest Federal States, and others, that they should be elevated to the category of State within the Federation in order to promote their sustainable development at all levels, without disintegrating the identity they have developed as a geographical and cultural whole. The populated sites of the Federal Dependencies used to have a General Commissioner appointed by the President of the Republic and in

4692-429: The collision may have been caused by a suction effect between the vessels as the faster patrol boat passed the bow of the cruise ship. Although the collision may have not been intentional ramming, the conclusion was nonetheless that the incident that led to the sinking of Naiguatá was a deliberate act initiated by the Venezuelan Navy rather than an accidental occurrence. As of 2024, Admiral Neil Jesús Villamizar Sánchez

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4784-438: The complex reefs of Las Aves Archipelago and Los Roques. These complexes describe spectacular barrier reefs, fringing or coastal reefs, keys or coral islands and reef patches. The rest of the islands present recent coral formations of lesser extension and complexity, as is the case with Aves Island, which is mostly a fringing reef. La Blanquilla Island has only fringing reefs along the west and south coast. According to Méndez,

4876-578: The continental platform by deep channels and bathed by warm and transparent oceanic waters. Los Roques has been one of the areas that has presented greater development of its tourist services, hence its importance as a centre of recreation for foreigners and Venezuelans. El Gran Roque is the only centre that has some infrastructure for tourist accommodation, although recently plans have been approved to create tourist developments on uninhabited islands such as La Tortuga Island. The sandy beaches are ecosystems of unconsolidated sedimentary environments, they host

4968-409: The coral reefs are storms and hurricanes, as is the case with Aves Island . As well as natural disturbances, anthropogenic impacts also affect reefs, as is the case with pollution produced by sewage, hydrocarbons and tourist activity. Among the tourist activities, snorkeling, the diving, sport fishing, collecting fish, corals and snails, cause some damage. Also the grounding of ships and boats generates

5060-561: The creation of the Caribbean Archipelago Territory, but this proposal could not be carried out because it was against some provisions of the 1961 Venezuelan Constitution. On March 28 and 31, 1978 the final maritime limits with the United States were signed (1978 Treaty between the United States and Venezuela or United States–Venezuela Maritime Boundary Treaty ) which set the limits with Puerto Rico and

5152-413: The eastern coast they occupy great extensions. Associated with a rocky coastal relief, the beaches often occupy bottom positions of cove or inlet , where a harmonious arch develops between the cliffs that serve as support. This is the case of all the beaches on the island of La Blanquilla and in some sectors of La Orchila. This type of beach, also known as "pocket beach", develops in the sheltered areas of

5244-602: The government of the Territory together with the inhabitants of Los Roques established the Norms of Communal Coexistence of the Insular Territory Francisco de Miranda in the Archipelago of Los Roques. In September 2019 a new airport was inaugurated in Los Roques, with an expanded runway, new facilities with a national and international area, waiting room and other related structures. The major islands of

5336-410: The high services prices. Of all the tourists who visit Los Roques, 95% of them arrive by plane while the rest travel by boat. Staying on a sailboat is another option but it is expensive. The cheapest option is camping in the designated areas of INPARQUES. Although Los Roques has a variety of accommodation options, 96% of tourists stay in posadas, 3% in sailboats and less than 1% in camps. For divers ,

5428-420: The inner, protected shallow waters. Development and tourism are controlled. Its first settlers were the Caribbean aborigines who visited the islands to collect botutos, fish, hunt turtles and extract salt. There are still some constructions of salt flats with dikes, stone paths and remains of houses that were created at this time known as the time of exploitation of salt. But the permanent occupation arises with

5520-591: The insular territory is the island of Gran Roque to the north of the Los Roques Archipelago. Additionally in the island there are dependencies of other public organisms such as Inparques ( National Parks Institute ) since the archipelago is a national park and the National Guard of Venezuela ( Guardia Nacional ). According to the provisions of the Organic Regulations of the Head of Government of

5612-502: The island of Gran Roque , which is part of the recreational sector where it is authorized to carry out this type of building. At the beginning of the tourist boom, 60% of the visitors were of other nationalities, most of them from the United States, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, however some Venezuelans also visit the park, over all those, of course, with greater purchasing power due to

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5704-465: The island of Patos was not mentioned in the treaty. When the British took over the island, they considered it part of Trinidad and annexed it to their possessions . In 1942 England recognized Venezuelan sovereignty over the island on the occasion of the delimitation of the underwater areas of the Gulf of Paria and the Venezuelan flag was raised on its shores on September 28, 1942. On April 28, 1856,

5796-558: The islands on 2 November 1990, according to Presidential Decree 1214, the figure of the Single Authority of Los Roques Area ( Autoridad Única de Área ) was created, which would continue as part of the Federal Dependencies but with a special administrative status. In October 2011 all the islands of the Los Roques archipelago are integrated to the Miranda Insular Territory ( Territorio Insular Francisco de Miranda ) according to presidential decree 8549 of 1 November 2011, published in

5888-596: The law creating the first island territory of the Federal Dependencies, called the Francisco de Miranda Insular Territory, with its capital in Gran Roque , covering the central sector of the Federal Dependencies, which includes Los Roques, the Archipelago of Las Aves and the Archipelago of La Orchila , as well as a large portion of the Venezuelan Caribbean Sea . The new institution is headed by

5980-619: The law". According to the Ley orgánica de las Dependencias Federales ( Organic Law on Federal Dependencies ) of 1938, in force until 2011, everything related to the government and administration of these Dependencies corresponds directly to the Federal or National Executive (Art.3). They are under the administration of the Dirección Nacional de Coordinación del Desarrollo Fronterizo y de las Dependencias Federales (National Directorate for

6072-492: The mainland visited the islands, especially Two Mosquises Sur, Crasquí and Cayo Sal, to supply themselves with food and salt. Sample of the presence of these first settlers are the concheros of botutos that abound in the beaches of Los Roques. These sporadic waves of indigenous ethnic groups became more frequent towards the year 1000 AD, when in Dos Mosquises North fishermen and farmers from Ocumare de la Costa and

6164-445: The mid-nineteenth century. Venezuela claimed sovereignty over the islands, and after a long legal dispute, the United States recognized Venezuelan sovereignty over the island in 1861. The Netherlands made claims over these same islands but the conflict was resolved through arbitration in 1865 by recognizing again Venezuelan sovereignty over Isla de Aves. On August 22, 1871, Venezuelan President Antonio Guzman Blanco decided to group all

6256-887: The more protection an area has, the fewer activities will be allowed The Archipelago de Los Roques national park has seven management zones, the Integral Protection zone, the Primitive Marina, the Managed Natural Environment, Recreation Zone, of Cultural Historical Interest and Archeopaleontology, Services zone and Special Use zone. These zones are: There are several mangrove species: Rhizophora mangle , Avicennia germinans , Laguncularia racemosa and Conocarpus erectus , extensive seagrass meadows ( Thalassia testudinum ), halophyte species such as glass grass, red purslane or beach bell ( Sesuvium portulacastrum ), cacti such as

6348-466: The most coveted resources and their exploitation in the Venezuelan natural salt mines was controlled by the authorities of the Colony. At the end of the 18th century in the salt mines of Cayo Sal, located in the southwestern part of the Los Roques archipelago, the Spanish authorities installed a small customs office of which it is believed that there are still remains (foundations of its infrastructure made of coral formations). Old references indicate that

6440-400: The most interesting facts in history of the federal dependencies was given between the 8 and the December 12, 1842, when three corvetas that transported to the country the rest of Simón Bolívar managed to flee of a storm when taking refuge in Los Roques. On November 8, 1777, it was recognised by the Royal Decree of Charles III of Spain that the group of Spanish islands near the southeast of

6532-399: The most sheltered parts of the coves Las Tres Playas, El Caño Las Lisas, El Falucho, Garantón and Ño Martín. In these bay bottoms the mangroves are of the species Rhizophora mangle , very particular ecosystem from where most of the crabs of this zone come from. This federal entity is the only one in the whole Republic that has neither a Governor nor a Mayor, since it has neither the status of

6624-524: The nearby Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, Curaçao, etc. They left as a legacy some of the exotic names given to some islands or keys (for example Francisquí, Madrisquí, Krasquí, Selesquí). The suffix "quí" corresponds to the English term (and other languages) "key", which means Island. At the beginning of the 20th century an epidemic of bubonic plague in La Guaira caused the Venezuelan government to authorise

6716-544: The north, in the coralline keys mainly, where the formations of red mangrove are abundant and dense. On the island they are located to the southwest, bordering lagoons, represented mostly by button mangrove and some isolated black mangrove. In the eastern and southeastern parts of the country there are quite extensive areas of degraded and underdeveloped mangroves. On the south coast of La Tortuga Island there are some sectors with Dense strips of red and black mangrove formations, bordering open lagoons protected by sand bars, such as

6808-618: The nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy , set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on 22 September. Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the AFP news agency, "It's the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Peter the Great , the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships. During a 2019 crisis in Venezuela,

6900-494: The official gazette N° 39797, a subdivision of the Federal Dependencies with capital in Gran Roque. In 2012 the Venezuelan National Navy named a Damen Stan Lander 5612 landing craft after the islands. In 2012, the Organic Regulations of the Head of Government of the Insular Territory of Miranda were approved, which establishes the organization of the government in Los Roques, La Orchila and Las Aves. In 2014

6992-508: The polar ice class cruise liner RCGS Resolute , while in international waters. According to RCGS Resolute ' s owner, the Coast Guard ship had fired shots and ordered the cruise ship to follow it to Margarita Island , a Venezuelan harbour. Naiguatá sank following the collision, with RCGS Resolute informing the international Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the incident and offering assistance. After staying in

7084-524: The slopes The island is located on the eastern side of Iguana Island, on the eastern slope of the island, and on the rocky and cliffy Los Testigos archipelago. Navy of Venezuela The Venezuelan Navy serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of Venezuela , including inland and fluvial security, and it also serves to prevent illegal activities on Venezuela's borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities. The Venezuelan Navy

7176-399: The southern reef is more developed and not has as much coral variety as in Los Roques and Las Aves archipelago . In primary formation is the northeastern barrier reef of the archipelago La Orchila and in the island LaTortuga the southern fringe reef is discontinuous. The archipelago Los Roques, Aves of Barlovento, Aves de Sotavento and La Blanquilla present similar characteristics in terms of

7268-464: The species, the instability of the substrate and salinity. The floristic representatives are the following: the red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle ), the black mangrove ( Avicenniae germinans ), the white mangrove of the family Laguncularia and the button mangrove ( Conocarpus erectus ). The mangroves of the islands of the Federal Dependencies correspond to geomorphological environments associated with surfaces of recent or old low energy carbonates, of

7360-465: The territories and islands that belonged to the Captaincy General of Venezuela at the time of independence. In 1777, when the Captaincy General of Venezuela was created, the island of Patos became part of the province of Cumaná . In 1803, through a treaty known as the Peace of Amiens , Spain ceded the island of Trinidad to England , since it had been occupied by British citizens since 1797. Although

7452-421: 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. The World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions groups the islands, excluding the abyssal Aves Island, into an area it calls

7544-576: The territory through a diplomatic note and in 1992 the Colombian government stated that it would not claim the territory. On August 23, 1972, the Bird Island was declared a national Wildlife Refuge. On June 2, 1978, the " Simón Bolívar " Naval Scientific Base was created on Aves Island. That same year, an attempt was made in the Chamber of Deputies of the then National Congress to approve a bill for

7636-402: The type of shallow tropical areas. They are located on the coast line and its limit can end abruptly on a cliff or can extend to plains muddy or offshore banks of marine angiosperms. Some researchers point to coral island mangroves as the least productive. At present, there is no accurate assessment of the distribution and extent of mangroves of the islands of the Federal Dependencies. Those of

7728-544: The underwater morphology of the southern reef fronts. The reefs that extend along the southern perimeters of these complex reefs have a steep slope that extends to 40 m where there are two intermediate terraces at 14 and 22 m". This rugged barrier reef exhibits a biological diversity of coral communities, of different forms of expression, associated with a fauna characteristic. In terms of threats, coral reefs are exposed to natural disturbances, such as coral bleaching, mainly due to warming waters. Other natural phenomena that impact

7820-485: The use of the island of Gran Roque as a quarantine site. In 1910, the town of Gran Roque began to consolidate with families from Margarita Island , mainly fishermen. On 20 July 1938 the islands were integrated into the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela . The small population of 484 that inhabited it in 1941 grew to 559 in the year 1950. Because of the wide variety of seabirds and rich aquatic life ,

7912-506: The white mangrove and the button mangrove. In Aves de Sotavento, in Isla Larga and in some sectors of interior lagoons. In Aves de Barlovento, on Tesoro Island and El Faro, mangrove formations have developed, represented by the four types of mangroves but with less development and coverage than in Los Roques. Small patches of mangrove are also observed in other keys of this archipelago. In the archipelago La Orchila they are distributed to

8004-526: The year, tempering the heat. The amount of sunlight in Los Roques is good throughout the year, as clear skies prevail. As a result of its declaration as a national park in 1972, a protection plan was created, which establishes certain regulations on the island to preserve the state of these ecosystems. This plan is known as zoning, which consists of the separation of zones management, which are protected depending on their fragility and importance, and depending on this certain activities are allowed. Which means that

8096-713: The year. In Gran Roque you can rent equipment and find guides and instructors for all activities. El Gran Roque is the only populated island in the group. It has an airport suitable for small or STOL aircraft, Los Roques Airport . The airport is controlled from the Maiquetía Airport on the mainland. From El Gran Roque most visitors that arrive, go to the port and travel to the keys in small boats called "peñeros" from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Activities include fishing ( bonefish , barracuda , tarpon , jack , and Spanish mackerel ), birding, snorkeling , diving, paddling, windsurfing , and kitesurfing , and there

8188-576: Was born as a coastal defense force during the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence . In May 1810, Commander Lino de Clemente, a veteran officer of the Spanish Navy who joined the April 1810 coup against the colonial government, was appointed the first Minister of Defense of the republic and began the long building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy. In April 1811

8280-428: Was not exploited as a tourist destination. Originally outsiders, wealthy Venezuelans from Caracas and foreigners , who could buy houses within the park, managed the few existing cabins. Access was restricted to light aircraft or private boats. Aerotuy was the only commercial airline operating in Los Roques at the time. Currently there are more than 60 hostels, 50 travel agencies and six airlines all concentrated on

8372-586: Was passed under the government of Eleazar López Contreras , which completely regulated the situation of the islands. The United Kingdom wanted Isla de Patos, but on February 26, 1942, it was resolved by delimiting the soil and subsoil of the Gulf of Paria. The Archipelago of Los Monjes, which Venezuela integrated as part of its territory, was the subject of controversy but in 1952 the Colombian Foreign Minister recognised Venezuelan sovereignty over

8464-659: Was the Commanding General of the National Navy. The Naval Operations Command is commanded by the Chief of Naval Operations. In 2014, this was Vice Admiral Antonio Díaz Clemente. Venezuelan Naval Aviation serves as the air arm of the Venezuelan Navy, with responsibility for air operations and transport for the entire Navy. Headquartered in La Guaira , Vargas, the Venezuelan Coast Guard

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