 Maria Madre Island |
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 21°36′57″N 106°34′42″W / 21.61583°N 106.57833°W |
| Archipelago | Islas MarÃas |
| Total islands | 9 |
| Major islands | MarÃa Madre, MarÃa Magdalena, MarÃa Cleofas & San Juanito |
| Area | 244.970 km2 (94.583 sq mi) |
| Highest point | Punta Rocallosa (616 m (2,021 ft)) |
| Country | |
|
Mexico
|
|
| State | Nayarit |
| Municipality | San Blas, Nayarit |
| Largest city | Puerto Balleto (pop. 602) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1116 |
| Density | 7.68 /km2 (19.9 /sq mi) |
The Islas MarÃas ("Mary Islands") are an archipelago of four islands that belong to Mexico. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, some 100 km (60 miles) off the coast of the state of Nayarit. They are part of the municipality (municipio) of San Blas, Nayarit. As of 2006, the islands are still being used as a penal colony, containing the Islas Marias Federal Prison. The islands have an aggregate area of 244.970 km². 1116 people lived on Isla MarÃa Madre as of the census of 2005. The other islands are uninhabited. The main settlement is Puerto Balleto, with a population of 602.
Isla MarÃa Madre, the northernmost island, is the largest, with a surface area of 145.282 km². It houses the Islas MarÃas Federal Prison which was established there in 1905. The other two islands are Isla MarÃa Magdalena (70.440 km²) and, further south, Isla MarÃa 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.
The smaller island, Isla San Juanito, with an area of 9.105 km² lies off the north coast of Isla MarÃa Madre.
The islands are listed from north to south in the following table:
| Island or Rock | Area km² |
Height m |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Juanito | 9.105 | . | 21°44′48″N 106°40′41″W / 21.74667°N 106.67806°W |
| Piedra El Morro | 0.060 | . | 21°44′17″N 106°42′11″W / 21.73806°N 106.70306°W |
| MarÃa Madre | 145.282 | 616 | 21°36′57″N 106°34′42″W / 21.61583°N 106.57833°W |
| Isla Don Boni | 0.025 | . | 21°32′30″N 106°32′00″W / 21.54167°N 106.5333333°W |
| MarÃa Magdalena | 70.440 | 457 | 21°27′44″N 106°25′48″W / 21.46222°N 106.43°W |
| MarÃa Cleofas | 19.818 | 402 | 21°18′44″N 106°14′51″W / 21.31222°N 106.2475°W |
| Piedra Blanca | 0.172 | . | 21°19′01″N 106°17′09″W / 21.31694°N 106.28583°W |
| Roca Blanca | 0.034 | . | 21°17′44″N 106°16′07″W / 21.29556°N 106.26861°W |
| Unnamed Rock | 0.034 | . | 21°17′52″N 106°16′35″W / 21.29778°N 106.27639°W |
| Islas MarÃas | 244.970 | 616 | 21°32′N 106°28′W / 21.533°N 106.467°W |
The group was discovered by Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, a cousin of Hernan Cortez in 1532, who gave them the name Islas Magdalenas.
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 of the government and is exercised by an officer of the Mexican Navy.
Contents |
[edit] Populated places
All populated places of the Islas MarÃas are on Isla MarÃa Madre. They are listed from north to south in the following table:
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
- Bellavista, 21°38′19″N 106°32′30″W / 21.63861°N 106.54167°W
- Unit Habitacional Miguel Hidalgo (UHMH), 21°38′13″N 106°32′26″W / 21.63694°N 106.54056°W
- Primero de Mayo, 21°38′20″N 106°32′23″W / 21.63889°N 106.53972°W
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005, Nayarit INEGI: Instituto Nacional de EstadÃstica, GeografÃa e Informática
- Mexican islands with areas and coordinates
- map
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maria Islands |
Coordinates: 21°25′N 106°28′W / 21.417°N 106.467°W