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 . The archipelago is located 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 the inner, protected shallow waters. Development and tourism are controlled.
History Prehistory Its first settlers were the Caribbean aborigines who visited the islands to collect botutos (large sea snails), 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 the arrival of fishermen from Margarita Island, who were bringing their families and settling in Los Roques.
Spanish colony 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 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 the 19th century the exploitation of salt mines and guano began.
Independent Venezuela 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 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 authorize 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, the Venezuelan government declared Los Roques a National Park in 1972.Instituto Nacional de Parques (INPAQUES). Archipiélago de Los Roques. 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 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.
Autonomy In order to give greater dynamism to its administration and promote the sustainable development of 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 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 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.
Geography
The major islands of 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 , of coral reefs, 42 coral cays surrounding a shallow central lagoon of , two barrier reefs ( east and south) and 300 sand banks, islands and cays, ranging in size from Cayo Grande () to the Gran Roque ().Vila, Marco Aurelio. 1967: Aspectos geográficos de las Dependencias Federales. Corporación Venezolana de Fomento. Caracas. 115p.Cervigon, Fernando. 1995: Las Dependencias Federales. Academia Nacional de la Historia. Caracas. 193p.Hernández Caballero, Serafín (Editor). 1998: Gran Enciclopedia de Venezuela. Editorial Globe, C.A. Caracas. 10 volúmenes. Other important islands are Francisqui, Nordisqui, Madrisquí, and Crasqui.
Climate The climate is warm and dry, with average annual temperature of 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 / year; minimum (April) and maximum (November).
The wind blows constantly throughout the year, tempering the heat. The amount of sunlight in Los Roques is good throughout the year, as clear skies prevail.
Zones of the national park
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 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:
The Integral Protection area, which is the most protected, and which includes the following keys: Sebastopol, Esparquí, Boca de Cote, (for its coral reefs and interesting mangroves); Los Canquises, (for the flamingos and other colonies of seabirds that breed there); Selesqui, (for being an important breeding area for sea turtles and seabirds), and Isla Larga (for the extensive coral reefs, colonies of seabirds, turtles that use this island for their reproduction). Only scientific research is allowed in this area, with prior authorization of the national park authorities. The second zone called the Primitiva Marina zone comprises the waters around these keys, in addition to the eastern barrier and the keys Sal, Dos Mosquises, Carenero, Cayo de Agua and Bequevé, because they are considered ecologically sensitive areas. The activities allowed in this area are boating, sailing and motor sailing along the indicated routes, swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, sport fishing, hiking on marked trails and visiting and observing nature. in groups of no more than 15 people.
The Managed Natural Environment zone that encompasses all the keys and peripheral waters of the archipelago and where the same activities as in the Primitiva Marina zone are allowed. The Recreation, Services and Special Use areas are all those keys that have already been intervened, such as the Gran Roque, the navigation channel and the Dos Mosquises key. In this area all the activities mentioned above are allowed, as well as camping with their respective permission from the authorities and water sports. The Historical Cultural Interest and Archeopaleontology area that protects all those areas where archaeological finds have been made, some examples of this area are: Bequevé, Cayo de Agua, Dos Mosquises, Noronquí, Cayo Sal and Los Canquises.
Position Name Area (ha) Coordinates Zoning 1 Cayo Grande 1510 Integral Protection Zone 2 Cayo Nube Verde 412 Integral Protection Zone 3 Isla Larga 400 Integral Protection Zone 4 Cayo Cuchillo 259 Integral Protection Zone 5 Isla de Muerto 230 Integral Protection Zone 6 Cayo Sal 220 Primitive Marine Zone 7 Gran Roque 180 Recreation and Service Zone 8 Rabusquí 110 Managed Natural Environment Zone 9 Cayo Espenquí 109 10 Cayo Crasquí 92 Recreation and Service Zone 11 Isla María Uespen 88 Integral Protection Zone 12 Sebastopol 72 Integral Protection Zone 13 Cayo de Agua 69 Primitive Marine Zone 14 Carenero 56 15 Cayo Bubi del Norte 44 Integral Protection Zone 16 Francisquí de Arriba 43.5 Recreation and Service Zone 17 Isla Agustín 43 Managed Natural Environment Zone 18 Cayo Bubi del Medio 36 Integral Protection Zone 19 Bequevé Norte 34 Primitive Marine Zone 20 Cayo Pirata 29.5 Recreation and Service Zone 21 Maceta de Isla Fernando 26.5 Integral Protection Zone 22 Canquí de Abajo 26 23 Noronquí del Medio 25.5 Recreation and Service Zone 24 Cayo Madrisquí 19.3 Managed Natural Environment Zone 25 Cayo Sarquí 19 26 Cayo Mosquitoquí 18.9 27 Cayo Noronquí de Arriba 18.3 Recreation and Service Zone 28 Cayo Bubi del Sur 17.7 Integral Protection Zone 29 Cayo Dos Mosquises Sur 16.2 Primitive Marine Zone 30 Cayo Blanca España 14.7 Integral Protection Zone 31 Francisquí de Abajo 15 Recreation and Service Zone 32 Dos Mosquises Norte 13.5 Primitive Marine Zone 33 Cayo Remanso 13.25 Managed Natural Environment Zone 34 Francisquí del Medio 13.1 Recreation and Service Zone 35 Nordisquí 13 Primitive Marine Zone 36 Bequevé Sur 12.59 Primitive Marine Zone 37 Noronquí de Abajo 10.1 Recreation and Service Zone 38 Isla de Loco 9 Managed Natural Environment Zone 39 Isla Fernando 8 Managed Natural Environment Zone 40 Maceta de Nube Verde 7 Integral Protection Zone 41 Cayo Felipe 7 Managed Natural Environment Zone 42 Cayo Yonquí 6.74 Managed Natural Environment Zone 43 Canquí de Arriba 6.27 Integral Protection Zone 44 Selesquí 4 Integral Protection Zone 45 Maceta de Cote 3.4 Primitive Marine Zone 46 Buchiyaco 2.97 Primitive Marine Zone 47 Rasquí 2.21 Recreation and Service Zone 48 Cayo Simea 2.1 Integral Protection Zone 49 Cayo Vapor 2 Primitive Marine Zone 50 La Culebra 1.28 Integral Protection Zone 51 Ciempiés 1.1 Integral Protection Zone 52 Botoqui 1.05 Integral Protection Zone 53 Burquí 0.8 Integral Protection Zone
Flora 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 a prickly pear cactus or guasábara (Opuntia caribea) and a crop or melon cactus (Melocactus caesius).
Fauna