Culebra, Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality
of Puerto Rico
originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) east of the Puerto Rican mainland, 12 miles (19.3 km) west of St. Thomas
and 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Vieques
. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra (Dewey) Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The island is also known as Isla Chiquita ("Little Island") and Última Virgen ("Last Virgin", reflecting its position at the end of the Virgin islands
archipelago). Residents of the island are known as Culebrenses.
was the first European to arrive at the island during his second voyage in 1493. It is believed that the island was populated by Carib Indians during the colonization
, After the Agüeybaná and Agüeybaná II#Taíno rebellion of 1511, Taíno Indians
from the main island sought refuge on Culebra and allied with Caribs to launch random attacks at the island estates.
After that, the island was left abandoned for centuries. During the era of Spanish commerce through the Americas, it was used as a refuge for pirates, as well as local fishermen and sailors. Some sources mention an Englishman named Stevens, who mas put in charge of Culebra in 1875 by the Spanish crown to protect the island from foreigners.
Culebra was then settled by Cayetano Escudero Sanz
on October 27, 1880. This first settlement was called San Ildefonso, to honor the Bishop of Toledo
, San Ildefonso de la Culebra. Two years later, on September 25, 1882, construction of the Culebrita
Lighthouse began. It was completed on February 25, 1886 which made it the oldest operating lighthouse in the Caribbean until 1975, when the U.S. Navy
and Coast Guard
finally closed the facility.
In 1902, Culebra was integrated as a part of Vieques. One year later, on June 26, President Theodore Roosevelt
established the Culebra Naval Reservation. A bird refuge was established on February 27, 1909. In 1939, the U.S. Navy
began to use the Culebra Archipelago as a gunnery and bombing practice site. This was done in preparation for the United States' involvement in World War II
. In 1971 the people of Culebra began protests, known as the Navy-Culebra protests
, for the removal of the U.S. Navy from Culebra. Four years later, in 1975, the use of Culebra as a gunnery range ceased and all operations were moved to Vieques.
Culebra was declared an independent island municipality in 1917. The first democratically elected government was put into place in 1960. Prior to this, the government of Puerto Rico appointed delegates to administer the island.
consisting of the main island and twenty-three smaller islands that lie off its coast. The largest of these cay
s are: Culebrita
to the east, Cayo Norte
to the northeast, and Cayo Luis Peña
and Cayo Lobo to the west. The smaller islands include Cayo Ballena, Cayos Geniqui, Arrecife Culebrita, Las Hermanas, El Mono, Cayo Lobito, Cayo Botijuela, Alcarraza, Los Gemelos, and Piedra Steven. Islands in the archipelago are arid
, meaning they have no rivers or stream
s. All of the fresh water
is brought from Puerto Rico via Vieques.
Culebra is characterized by an irregular topography
resulting in a long intricate shoreline
. The island is approximately 7 by 5 miles (11 by 8 km). The coast is marked by cliffs, sandy coral beach
es and mangrove
forest
s. Inland, the tallest point on the island is Mount Resaca, with an elevation of 650 feet (198 m), followed by Balcón Hill, with an elevation of 541 feet (164.9 m).
Ensenada Honda is the largest harbor
on the island and is considered to be the most hurricane secure harbor in the Caribbean. There are also several lagoon
s on the island, like Corcho, Flamenco, and Zoní. Culebrita Island also has a lagoon called Molino.
Almost 80% of the island's area is volcanic rock from the Cretaceous
period. It is mostly used for livestock
pasture, as well as some minor agriculture
.
These small islands are all classified as nature reserves and several nature reserves also exist on the main island. One of the oldest bird sanctuaries in United States territory was established in Culebra on February 27, 1909 by President Teddy Roosevelt
. The Culebra Island Giant Anole
(Anolis roosevelti, Xiphosurus roosevelti (according to ITIS)) is an extremely rare or possibly extinct lizard of the Anolis
genus. It is native to Culebra Island and was named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
, who was the governor of Puerto Rico at that time. There are bird sanctuaries on many of the islands as well as turtle nesting sites on Culebra. Leatherback
, green sea
and hawksbill
sea turtle
s use the beaches for nesting. The archipelagos bird sanctuaries are home to brown boobies
, laughing gull
s, sooty tern
s, bridled tern
s and noddy terns
. An estimated 50,000 sea birds find their way back to the sanctuaries every year. These nature reserves comprise 1568 acres (6.3 km²) of the archipelago
's 7000 acres (28.3 km²). These nature reserves are protected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
.
Culebra has no natural large mammals. However, a population of White-tailed deer
introduced in 1966 can be found on the eastern region of the island.
, Americans
and residents of Vieques
. Because of the "arid" nature of the island there is no run-off from rivers or streams resulting in very clear waters around the archipelago.
Culebra has many beautiful beaches including Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), which can be reached by shuttle buses from the ferry. The beach extends for a mile of white coral sand and is framed beautifully by arid tree-covered hills. The beach is also protected by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources as a Marine Wildlife Reserve.
The area west of Flamenco Beach and the adjacent Flamenco Point were used for joint-United States Navy
/Marine Corps
military exercises until 1975. Many military relics, including tank
s, remain in the area. Culebra and Vieques offered the U.S. military an experience of great value to the battles in the Pacific as a feasible training area for the Fleet Marine Force
in amphibious
exercises for beach landings
and naval gunfire support
testing. Culebra and Vieques were the two components of the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range Inner Range. In recent years, only the shortened term "Inner Range" was used.
Other beaches are only accessible by private car or boats. Of the smaller islands, only Culebrita
and Luis Peña
permit visitors and can be accessible via water taxis from Culebra. Hiking and nature photography are encouraged on the small islands. However, activities which would disturb the nature reserves are prohibited, e.g. Camping
, Litter
ing and Motor Vehicles
. Camping, however, is allowed on Playa Flamenco throughout the year. Reservations are recommended.
Culebra is also a popular destination for scuba divers
because of the many reefs throughout the archipelago and the crystal clear waters.
was the main source of economy in Culebra. At some point, the following products were produced and exported from the island: wood
, turtle oil, shells, fish, tobacco
, livestock
, pigs
, goats, cheese
, plantains, pumpkins, beans, yams, garlic
, corn
, tomatoes, oranges
, coconut
, cotton
, melons, mangrove
bark
, coal
, and turkey
.
Nowadays, Culebra's main source of revenue comes from construction
, tourism
, and a pharmaceutical plant located in the Dewey community.
.
In 1894, written reports indicated that there were 519 residents living in five communities: San Ildefonso, Flamenco, San Isidero, Playa Sardinas I y II, and Frayle. There were 84 houses built, 24 of them in the San Ildefonso community.
Like all of Puerto Rico's municipalities, the island of Culebra is administered by a mayor
, elected every four years in general elections. Iniitally, administrators were selected by the Spanish crown or by the United States government during the 19th
and early 20th Century
.
In 2004, Abraham Peña Nieves was elected mayor of Culebra with 50.1% of the votes. He was reelected in 2008.
On November 2011, Peña died of prostate cancer
. The next day, it was announced that his daughter, Lizaida Peña, might replace him until the 2012 general elections.
operates the Culebra Post Office.
) symbolizes its name. An armed arm from the Coat of Arms of the Escudero family, first settlers of the island. The laurel cross refers to the civic triumph reached when Culebra obtained the evacuation of the United States Navy from the island.
.
services to residents and visitors. For emergencies, patients are transported by plane to Fajardo
on the main island.
, or plane
. Ferry service is available from Fajardo
. Ferries make several trips a day to the main island for an approximate fare of $4.50 (round trip).
Culebra also has a small airport, Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport
, with domestic service to the mainland and Vieques
. The airport is served by small airlines:
There is public transportation available in the island, through public cars and taxis
.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) east of the Puerto Rican mainland, 12 miles (19.3 km) west of St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
and 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra (Dewey) Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). The island is also known as Isla Chiquita ("Little Island") and Última Virgen ("Last Virgin", reflecting its position at the end of the Virgin islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
archipelago). Residents of the island are known as Culebrenses.
History
Some sources claim that Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
was the first European to arrive at the island during his second voyage in 1493. It is believed that the island was populated by Carib Indians during the colonization
European colonization of the Americas
The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492. The first Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement in present day Newfoundland...
, After the Agüeybaná and Agüeybaná II#Taíno rebellion of 1511, Taíno Indians
Taíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
from the main island sought refuge on Culebra and allied with Caribs to launch random attacks at the island estates.
After that, the island was left abandoned for centuries. During the era of Spanish commerce through the Americas, it was used as a refuge for pirates, as well as local fishermen and sailors. Some sources mention an Englishman named Stevens, who mas put in charge of Culebra in 1875 by the Spanish crown to protect the island from foreigners.
Culebra was then settled by Cayetano Escudero Sanz
Cayetano Escudero Sanz
Cayetano Escudero Sanz established the first lasting settlement on the island of Culebra, San Ildefonso, on October 27, 1880.Born in the north of Spain, he immigrated to Puerto Rico as an adult and served as Vieques delegate to Culebra from 1880 to 1891. He was succeeded by Florentino Flaile Moscat....
on October 27, 1880. This first settlement was called San Ildefonso, to honor the Bishop of Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, San Ildefonso de la Culebra. Two years later, on September 25, 1882, construction of the Culebrita
Culebrita
Isla Culebrita is a small island off the eastern coast of Culebra, Puerto Rico and is part of the Puerto Rico Archipielago. Together with Cayo Botella off the northwestern point, it belongs to the barrio Frailes of Culebra. It is a nature reserve and home of one of the oldest lighthouse in the...
Lighthouse began. It was completed on February 25, 1886 which made it the oldest operating lighthouse in the Caribbean until 1975, when the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
finally closed the facility.
In 1902, Culebra was integrated as a part of Vieques. One year later, on June 26, President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
established the Culebra Naval Reservation. A bird refuge was established on February 27, 1909. In 1939, the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
began to use the Culebra Archipelago as a gunnery and bombing practice site. This was done in preparation for the United States' involvement in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1971 the people of Culebra began protests, known as the Navy-Culebra protests
Navy-Culebra protests
The Navy-Culebra protests is the name given by American media to a series of protests starting in 1971 on the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico against the United States Navy use of the island. The protests led to the U.S...
, for the removal of the U.S. Navy from Culebra. Four years later, in 1975, the use of Culebra as a gunnery range ceased and all operations were moved to Vieques.
Culebra was declared an independent island municipality in 1917. The first democratically elected government was put into place in 1960. Prior to this, the government of Puerto Rico appointed delegates to administer the island.
Geography
Culebra is an archipelagoArchipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
consisting of the main island and twenty-three smaller islands that lie off its coast. The largest of these cay
Cay
A cay , also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of coral reefs. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans , where they provide habitable and agricultural land for hundreds of thousands of people...
s are: Culebrita
Culebrita
Isla Culebrita is a small island off the eastern coast of Culebra, Puerto Rico and is part of the Puerto Rico Archipielago. Together with Cayo Botella off the northwestern point, it belongs to the barrio Frailes of Culebra. It is a nature reserve and home of one of the oldest lighthouse in the...
to the east, Cayo Norte
Cayo Norte
Cayo Norte, formlerly West Key or North East Key is a private island, located at 18° 20'N 65° 15'W, just ½ mile north of Culebra Island. It lies 21 nautical miles east of Puerto Rico and 12 nautical miles west of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands...
to the northeast, and Cayo Luis Peña
Cayo Luis Peña
Cayo Luis Peña, formlerly South West Key is a small island off the west coast of Culebra, a municipality of Puerto Rico. The island is a nature reserve, but visitors are allowed on the island for nature walks, snorkeling and swimming. Visitors are not allowed to stay on the island overnight and...
and Cayo Lobo to the west. The smaller islands include Cayo Ballena, Cayos Geniqui, Arrecife Culebrita, Las Hermanas, El Mono, Cayo Lobito, Cayo Botijuela, Alcarraza, Los Gemelos, and Piedra Steven. Islands in the archipelago are arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
, meaning they have no rivers or stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s. All of the fresh water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
is brought from Puerto Rico via Vieques.
Culebra is characterized by an irregular topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
resulting in a long intricate shoreline
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
. The island is approximately 7 by 5 miles (11 by 8 km). The coast is marked by cliffs, sandy coral beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es and mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s. Inland, the tallest point on the island is Mount Resaca, with an elevation of 650 feet (198 m), followed by Balcón Hill, with an elevation of 541 feet (164.9 m).
Ensenada Honda is the largest harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
on the island and is considered to be the most hurricane secure harbor in the Caribbean. There are also several lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s on the island, like Corcho, Flamenco, and Zoní. Culebrita Island also has a lagoon called Molino.
Almost 80% of the island's area is volcanic rock from the Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period. It is mostly used for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
pasture, as well as some minor agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
.
Nature Reserves
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. The Culebra Island Giant Anole
Culebra Island Giant Anole
The Culebra Island Giant Anole or is an extremely rare or possibly extinct lizard of the genus Anolis in the family Polychrotidae.-Taxonomy:...
(Anolis roosevelti, Xiphosurus roosevelti (according to ITIS)) is an extremely rare or possibly extinct lizard of the Anolis
Anolis
Anolis is a genus of lizards belonging to the family Polychrotidae. With nearly 400 species, Anolis represents the world's most species rich amniote genus. Several species of Anolis are occasionally ascribed to the genus Norops, but the validity of the Norops genus is not widely accepted...
genus. It is native to Culebra Island and was named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Theodore D. Roosevelt, Jr. , was an American political and business leader, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in both of the 20th century's world wars. He was the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt from his second wife Edith Roosevelt...
, who was the governor of Puerto Rico at that time. There are bird sanctuaries on many of the islands as well as turtle nesting sites on Culebra. Leatherback
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of all living sea turtles and the fourth largest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell. Instead, its...
, green sea
Green Sea Turtle
The Green sea turtle or green turtle is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
and hawksbill
Hawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. imbricata imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E...
sea turtle
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
s use the beaches for nesting. The archipelagos bird sanctuaries are home to brown boobies
Brown Booby
The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail...
, laughing gull
Laughing Gull
The Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla, is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. It breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Northernmost populations migrate further south in winter, and this species occurs as a rare vagrant to western...
s, sooty tern
Sooty Tern
The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake...
s, bridled tern
Bridled Tern
The Bridled Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans.-Description:...
s and noddy terns
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
. An estimated 50,000 sea birds find their way back to the sanctuaries every year. These nature reserves comprise 1568 acres (6.3 km²) of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
's 7000 acres (28.3 km²). These nature reserves are protected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
.
Culebra has no natural large mammals. However, a population of White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
introduced in 1966 can be found on the eastern region of the island.
Barrios
| Barrio | area m² M² m2 may mean:*Square metre, an SI measure of area*m2 , the ambient project of German electronic musician and DJ Mathis MootzM2 may mean:*M squared, a measure of laser beam quality*M2 , by Marcus Miller... |
population (census 2000) |
density | islands in barrio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culebra barrio-pueblo | 408969 | 652 | 1594.3 | |
| Flamenco | 12602398 | 885 | 70.2 | Cayo Pirata, Cayo Verde, Cayo Matojo, El Ancon, Piedra Stevens, Los Gemelos, Alcarraza, Roca Lavador (awash), Cayo Botijuela, Cayo de Luis Peña Cayo Luis Peña Cayo Luis Peña, formlerly South West Key is a small island off the west coast of Culebra, a municipality of Puerto Rico. The island is a nature reserve, but visitors are allowed on the island for nature walks, snorkeling and swimming. Visitors are not allowed to stay on the island overnight and... , Las Hermanas (Cayo del Agua, Cayo Ratón, Cayo Yerba), El Mono, Cayo Lobo, Roca Culumna (Part of Cayo Lobito), Cayo Lobito, Cayo Tuna |
| Fraile | 8211978 | 51 | 6.2 | Culebrita Culebrita Isla Culebrita is a small island off the eastern coast of Culebra, Puerto Rico and is part of the Puerto Rico Archipielago. Together with Cayo Botella off the northwestern point, it belongs to the barrio Frailes of Culebra. It is a nature reserve and home of one of the oldest lighthouse in the... , Cayo Botella, Pelá, Pelaita |
| Playa Sardinas I | 410235 | 136 | 331.5 | |
| Playa Sardinas II | 2600088 | 122 | 46.9 | |
| San Isidro | 5857771 | 22 | 3.8 | Roca Speck, Cayo Norte Cayo Norte Cayo Norte, formlerly West Key or North East Key is a private island, located at 18° 20'N 65° 15'W, just ½ mile north of Culebra Island. It lies 21 nautical miles east of Puerto Rico and 12 nautical miles west of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands... , Cayo Sombrerito, Cayos Geniquí, Cayo Tiburón, Cayo Ballena |
| Culebra | 30091439 | 1.868 | 62,1 | 23 islands, cays and rocks |
Tourism
Culebra is a popular weekend tourist destination for Mainland Puerto RicansPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and residents of Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
. Because of the "arid" nature of the island there is no run-off from rivers or streams resulting in very clear waters around the archipelago.
Culebra has many beautiful beaches including Flamenco Beach (Playa Flamenco), which can be reached by shuttle buses from the ferry. The beach extends for a mile of white coral sand and is framed beautifully by arid tree-covered hills. The beach is also protected by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources as a Marine Wildlife Reserve.
The area west of Flamenco Beach and the adjacent Flamenco Point were used for joint-United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
/Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
military exercises until 1975. Many military relics, including tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, remain in the area. Culebra and Vieques offered the U.S. military an experience of great value to the battles in the Pacific as a feasible training area for the Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
in amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
exercises for beach landings
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
and naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
testing. Culebra and Vieques were the two components of the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range Inner Range. In recent years, only the shortened term "Inner Range" was used.
Other beaches are only accessible by private car or boats. Of the smaller islands, only Culebrita
Culebrita
Isla Culebrita is a small island off the eastern coast of Culebra, Puerto Rico and is part of the Puerto Rico Archipielago. Together with Cayo Botella off the northwestern point, it belongs to the barrio Frailes of Culebra. It is a nature reserve and home of one of the oldest lighthouse in the...
and Luis Peña
Cayo Luis Peña
Cayo Luis Peña, formlerly South West Key is a small island off the west coast of Culebra, a municipality of Puerto Rico. The island is a nature reserve, but visitors are allowed on the island for nature walks, snorkeling and swimming. Visitors are not allowed to stay on the island overnight and...
permit visitors and can be accessible via water taxis from Culebra. Hiking and nature photography are encouraged on the small islands. However, activities which would disturb the nature reserves are prohibited, e.g. Camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, Litter
Litter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
ing and Motor Vehicles
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
. Camping, however, is allowed on Playa Flamenco throughout the year. Reservations are recommended.
Culebra is also a popular destination for scuba divers
Scuba set
A scuba set is an independent breathing set that provides a scuba diver with the breathing gas necessary to breathe underwater during scuba diving. It is much used for sport diving and some sorts of work diving....
because of the many reefs throughout the archipelago and the crystal clear waters.
Landmarks and places of interest
- Flamenco Beach Ranked # 2 in the top 10 most exotic beaches in the world.
- Brava Beach
- Las Vacas Beach
- Larga Beach
- Pueblo Español
- Punta Soldado Beach
- Resaca Beach
- Tamarindo Beach
- Tortuga Beach
Culture
- Windsurfing Competition - February
- Fishing Tournament - March
- Patron Festivities - June
- Craft Festivities - November
Economy
In past centuries, agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
was the main source of economy in Culebra. At some point, the following products were produced and exported from the island: wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, turtle oil, shells, fish, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, goats, cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, plantains, pumpkins, beans, yams, garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, corn
Corn
Corn is the name used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for the grain maize.In much of the English-speaking world, the term "corn" is a generic term for cereal crops, such as* Barley* Oats* Wheat* Rye- Places :...
, tomatoes, oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, melons, mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, and turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Nowadays, Culebra's main source of revenue comes from construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, and a pharmaceutical plant located in the Dewey community.
Demographics
According to the 2010 Census, the population of Culebra is 1,818. This makes the island the municipality with the smallest population in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
In 1894, written reports indicated that there were 519 residents living in five communities: San Ildefonso, Flamenco, San Isidero, Playa Sardinas I y II, and Frayle. There were 84 houses built, 24 of them in the San Ildefonso community.
Government
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, elected every four years in general elections. Iniitally, administrators were selected by the Spanish crown or by the United States government during the 19th
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
and early 20th Century
20th century
Many people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
.
In 2004, Abraham Peña Nieves was elected mayor of Culebra with 50.1% of the votes. He was reelected in 2008.
On November 2011, Peña died of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. The next day, it was announced that his daughter, Lizaida Peña, might replace him until the 2012 general elections.
Government services
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Culebra Post Office.
Flag
The Culebra flag consists of five vertical stripes, three alternate yellow and two green ones. The yellow central stripe has the map of Culebra in green.Coat of Arms
This crown consists of sterns of two ships with their sails filled by the wind. The cross and the episcopal walking stick symbolize Bishop San Ildefonso, because originally the island was called San Ildefonso de la Culebra. The serpent (culebra means serpentSerpent
Serpent may refer to:* Serpent, a synonym for snake* Serpent , the name given to a snake in a religious or mythological context* Serpent , said to have tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden* Serpent in astronomy...
) symbolizes its name. An armed arm from the Coat of Arms of the Escudero family, first settlers of the island. The laurel cross refers to the civic triumph reached when Culebra obtained the evacuation of the United States Navy from the island.
Education
Due to its size and small population, there are only three schools on Culebra, one for each level. They are the San Ildefonso Elementary School, the Antonio R. Barceló High School, and the Luis Muñoz Rivera school. Education is administered by the Puerto Rico Department of EducationPuerto Rico Department of Education
The Puerto Rico Department of Education is the department of Puerto Rico's government which manages state-operated schools in the United States commonwealth. The department is the equivalent of a state department of education and only one of two composed of a single school district...
.
Health care
There is a small hospital in the island called Hospital de Culebra. It also offers pharmacyPharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
services to residents and visitors. For emergencies, patients are transported by plane to Fajardo
Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Fajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...
on the main island.
Transportation
The island of Culebra can be reached through private boats, ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, or plane
Plane
-Physical objects:* Aeroplane or airplane, a fixed-wing aircraft* Plane , a woodworking tool to smooth surfaces* Platanus, a genus of trees with the common name "plane"* Acer pseudoplatanus, a tree species sometimes called "plane"...
. Ferry service is available from Fajardo
Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Fajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...
. Ferries make several trips a day to the main island for an approximate fare of $4.50 (round trip).
Culebra also has a small airport, Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport
Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport
- Incidents and accidents :On July 1, 2011, a Cessna 185 that took off from Benjamin Rivera Noriega airport with a family of five on board, registration number N8438Q, crashed while on its way to Mercedita Airport in Ponce. One body was found in Humacao. The other four passengers are presumed dead....
, with domestic service to the mainland and Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
. The airport is served by small airlines:
- Air CulebraAir CulebraCulebra Air Services, established in 1998 as Air Culebra, is a small Puerto Rican airline company that flies out of the island of Culebra, in Puerto Rico, and the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, in San Juan.-Destinations:...
from San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
's Luis Muñoz MarínLuis Muñoz Marín International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Carolina, Puerto Rico, three miles southeast of San Juan. Over 4 million passengers board a plane at the airport per year according to FAA reports . It is owned and managed by the Puerto Rico Ports...
and Isla GrandeFernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On April 11, 1952 Pan Am Flight 526A crashed into the sea just after take off due to engine failure, killing 52 out of 69 passengers and crew....
Airports. - Air FlamencoAir Flamenco-History:Air Flamenco traces its history to Flamenco Airways , which was founded in 1976 by Mr. Rubén Torres. The first aircraft used was the Piper Cherokee 6 with flights between the islands of Culebra and Vieques. Six months after initial operation they acquired their first twin engine...
provides service from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci AirportFernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On April 11, 1952 Pan Am Flight 526A crashed into the sea just after take off due to engine failure, killing 52 out of 69 passengers and crew....
in Isla Grande, Luis Muñoz Marín International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International AirportLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Carolina, Puerto Rico, three miles southeast of San Juan. Over 4 million passengers board a plane at the airport per year according to FAA reports . It is owned and managed by the Puerto Rico Ports...
in San Juan, and José Aponte de la Torre AirportJosé Aponte de la Torre AirportJosé Aponte de la Torre Airport is a public use airport owned by Puerto Rico Ports Authority and located from the central business district of Ceiba, a town in Puerto Rico....
in CeibaCeiba, Puerto RicoCeiba is a small town in northeast Puerto Rico. It is named after the famous Ceiba tree. Ceiba is located in the east coast of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Naguabo, south of Fajardo, and east of Río Grande. It is located about one hour's driving distance from San Juan...
. - Vieques Air LinkVieques Air LinkVieques Air Link is a small Puerto Rican airline company that links Vieques with Culebra and mainland Puerto Rico.- History :Operations began on 1965, with owner Osvaldo "Val" Gonzalez-Duriex piloting a plane with three passengers from Vieques to Humacao...
provides service to Culebra from San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and FajardoFajardo, Puerto RicoFajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...
. - M&N AviationM&N AviationM&N Aviation is a Puerto Rican Air Charter airline located at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. The airline was founded in 1993.-Fleet details:*1 - Beechcraft 1900*1 - Cessna CitationJet 525A*1 - Cessna CitationJet CJ3...
from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci AirportFernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On April 11, 1952 Pan Am Flight 526A crashed into the sea just after take off due to engine failure, killing 52 out of 69 passengers and crew....
in Isla Grande, and José Aponte de la Torre AirportJosé Aponte de la Torre AirportJosé Aponte de la Torre Airport is a public use airport owned by Puerto Rico Ports Authority and located from the central business district of Ceiba, a town in Puerto Rico....
in CeibaCeiba, Puerto RicoCeiba is a small town in northeast Puerto Rico. It is named after the famous Ceiba tree. Ceiba is located in the east coast of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Naguabo, south of Fajardo, and east of Río Grande. It is located about one hour's driving distance from San Juan...
.
There is public transportation available in the island, through public cars and taxis
Taxis
A taxis is an innate behavioral response by an organism to a directional stimulus or gradient of stimulus intensity. A taxis differs from a tropism in that the organism has motility and demonstrates guided movement towards or away from the stimulus source ...
.
See also
- Spanish Virgin IslandsSpanish Virgin IslandsThe Spanish Virgin Islands, formerly called the Passage Islands and also known as the Puerto Rican Virgin Islands, are part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, located east of the main island of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican tourist literature uses the name Spanish Virgin Islands, but most general...
- Vieques, Puerto RicoVieques, Puerto RicoVieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...