The Los Roques Archipelago (Spanish: Archipiélago de Los Roques) is a part of Venezuela made up of about 350 islands, cays, and small islands. The total area of the archipelago is 40.61 square kilometers (15.68 square miles). It is located 128 kilometers (80 miles) directly north of the port city of La Guaira in the Caribbean Sea.

The beautiful coral reef surrounding the islands attracts many rich visitors, especially from Europe. Some of these visitors arrive in their own yachts and anchor in the calm, shallow waters inside the archipelago. Development and tourism are carefully managed.

History

The first people to live in Los Roques were the Caribbean aborigines, who visited the islands to collect botutos (large sea snails), fish, hunt turtles, and extract salt. Some salt flats from this time still remain, with dikes, stone paths, and parts of old houses. Permanent settlement began when fishermen from Margarita Island arrived, bringing their families and staying in Los Roques.

The islands were first seen by Spanish explorers. In 1589, the governor of the Venezuelan province ordered the islands to be officially claimed for the colony.

The Dutch believed Los Roques belonged to their territory, Curaçao, because it was near Bonaire, which was also Dutch. In 1836, the author M.D. Teenstra wrote 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, such as Gran Roque, Carenero, and Cayo Sal, were named. Temporary fishermen began arriving during this time, and by the 19th century, salt mines and guano (bird droppings) were being mined.

In 1871, the Venezuelan president Antonio Guzmán Blanco created the Territorio Colón (Columbus Territory), which included Los Roques and nearby islands. Gran Roque was chosen as the center of government for this territory.

Around 1886, people from nearby places like the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, and Curaçao began moving to Los Roques. They left behind names like Francisquí, Madrisquí, Krasquí, and Selesquí, which include the word "quí" from the English word "key," meaning island.

At the start of the 20th century, an outbreak of bubonic plague in La Guaira caused the Venezuelan government to use Gran Roque as a quarantine site.

In 1910, the town of Gran Roque began to grow as families from Margarita Island, mostly fishermen, settled there.

On July 20, 1938, the islands were added to the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela. The population was 484 in 1941 and grew to 559 by 1950.

Because of the many seabirds and rich marine life, the Venezuelan government made Los Roques a National Park in 1972. After this, the Los Roques Scientific Foundation was created, with labs and facilities on Dos Mosquises Island to study archaeology, fish, turtles, mollusks, corals, sponges, fishing, and oceanography.

In 1978, Venezuela and the Netherlands signed an agreement to define their shared marine boundaries.

In 1987, the Los Roques Scientific Foundation counted 847 people living in Gran Roque. Of these, 663 were permanent residents, and the rest were sailors living on Isla Margarita.

To improve administration and support sustainable development, the Single Authority of Los Roques Area was created on November 2, 1990, by Presidential Decree 1214. This authority was part of the Federal Dependencies but had a special status.

In October 2011, all Los Roques islands were added to the Miranda Insular Territory, as stated in Presidential Decree 8549. This territory is a part of the Federal Dependencies, with its capital in Gran Roque.

In 2012, the Venezuelan Navy named a Damen Stan Lander 5612 landing craft after the islands. Also in 2012, the Organic Regulations for the government of the Miranda Insular Territory were approved, outlining the structure of the government in Los Roques, La Orchila, and Las Aves. In 2014, the government and residents of Los Roques created the Norms of Communal Coexistence for the Miranda Insular Territory.

In September 2019, a new airport was opened in Los Roques, featuring an expanded runway, new facilities for national and international travelers, a waiting area, and other structures.

Geography

The major islands of the archipelago have a ring-shaped structure, with two outer coral reefs, an inner lagoon, and shallow sandy areas. The park covers 40.61 km (15.68 sq mi), includes 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 sandbanks, islands, and cays. These range in size from Cayo Grande (15.1 km (5.8 sq mi)) to Gran Roque (1.7 km (0.66 sq mi)). Other important islands include Francisqui, Nordisqui, Madrisquí, and Crasqui.

The climate is warm and dry, with an average annual temperature of 27.3 °C (81.1 °F) in July and August, reaching up to 34 °C. Occasional rain occurs between September and January, with annual rainfall of 256.6 mm (10.10 in) per year. The minimum rainfall is 6.6 mm (0.26 in) in April, and the maximum is 52.2 mm (2.06 in) in November. Annual relative humidity is 83%.

Winds blow constantly throughout the year, reducing the heat. Los Roques receives good sunlight year-round due to clear skies.

After being declared a national park in 1972, a protection plan was created to preserve the area’s ecosystems. This plan divides the park into zones based on their fragility and importance, allowing certain activities depending on the level of protection. Areas with higher protection allow fewer activities.

The Archipelago de Los Roques National Park has seven management zones: Integral Protection, Primitive Marina, Managed Natural Environment, Recreation, Cultural Historical Interest and Archeopaleontology, Services, and Special Use. These zones include:

• Integral Protection Area: The most protected zone, including islands like Sebastopol, Esparquí, Boca de Cote, Los Canquises, Selesqui, and Isla Larga. These areas are protected for their coral reefs, mangroves, seabirds, and sea turtles. Only scientific research with permission is allowed here.
• Primitive Marina Zone: Surrounds islands and includes the eastern barrier and islands like Sal, Dos Mosquises, Carenero, Cayo de Agua, and Bequevé. Activities allowed include boating, swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing, hiking, and nature observation in groups of no more than 15 people.
• Managed Natural Environment Zone: Covers all islands and surrounding waters, allowing the same activities as the Primitive Marina Zone.
• Recreation, Services, and Special Use Zones: Includes islands like Gran Roque, the navigation channel, and Dos Mosquises. Activities include camping, water sports, and those allowed in other zones.
• Cultural Historical Interest and Archeopaleontology Zone: Protects areas with archaeological finds, such as Bequevé, Cayo de Agua, Dos Mosquises, Noronquí, Cayo Sal, and Los Canquises.

The area has several mangrove species, including red mangrove, white mangrove, and black mangrove, as well as seagrass meadows, halophyte plants, cacti, and other vegetation.

Due to extreme conditions and limited fresh water, land animals are rare. A few species of iguanas, lizards, spiders, and insects live there. The greater bulldog bat is the only native land mammal.

Marine life is abundant, with 280 fish species, 200 crustaceans, 140 mollusks, 61 corals, 60 sponges, and 45 sea urchins and starfish. Dolphins, whales, manta rays, and sea turtles are common. Four turtle species—loggerhead, green, leatherback, and hawksbill—regularly nest in the area. Nine types of octocorals live in the park, possibly because the atolls are deeper on average.

The Sebastopol Lagoon reef is a nursery area for lemon sharks. Key animals include green sea turtles, pink queen conch, spiny lobster, coral reef fish, and 92 bird species.

Los Roques is a stop for about 50 migratory bird species from North America, including brown pelicans, red-footed and brown boobies, laughing gulls, and American flamingos. The area is designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International due to its large bird populations.

Government

Los Roques is a special area managed directly by officials chosen by the central government of Venezuela.

From 1990 to 2011, the central government had a director for the Single Area Authority within the Federal Dependencies. However, in 2011, the central government created the Miranda Insular Territory, which includes Los Roques, La Orchila, and the Las Aves Archipelago.

The main office of the head of government for the Miranda Insular Territory is located on the island of Gran Roque, which is north of the Los Roques Archipelago.

Other government agencies, such as Inparques (National Parks Institute) and the National Guard of Venezuela, also operate on the island because the archipelago is a national park.

According to the rules for the Miranda Insular Territory, the government includes a head of government, a government secretary, a legal advisor, and various departments. The head of government is chosen and can be removed by the president of Venezuela. They remain in their position as long as the central government supports them.

Los Roques does not have its own laws or budget. As part of the Miranda Insular Territory, its laws and budget are decided by the central government in Caracas through the National Assembly.

Demographics

The archipelago has few permanent residents, with about 1,500 people living there year-round. However, it attracts around 70,000 visitors each year, many of whom are day-trippers traveling from Caracas and the mainland.

Most people who live on the Roques islands reside on the largest island, Gran Roque, with fewer people living on nearby smaller islands. In 1941, the population was estimated at 484 people. By 1950, it had grown to 559, and by 1987, it reached 663 permanent residents. The 2001 Venezuelan census counted 1,209 people, and by 2008, the population was estimated to be about 1,800.

The slow growth of the population is due to restrictions placed on the area when it was declared a national park in the 1970s. Most residents are descendants of people from Margarita, who moved to the islands to work as fishermen. Starting in the early 1900s, a small number of foreigners, mostly from Italy, also began to live there.

Tourism

Tourism in Los Roques has grown a lot in recent decades. Before 1990, this area was not used as a tourist destination.

At first, only wealthy Venezuelans from Caracas and foreign visitors who could buy homes in the park managed the few cabins that existed. Access was limited to small planes or private boats. Aerotuy was the only airline that offered commercial flights to Los Roques at that time.

Today, more than 60 hostels, 50 travel agencies, and six airlines operate on the island of Gran Roque. This island is part of the tourism area where building these types of facilities is allowed.

At the start of the tourism growth, 60% of visitors came from other countries, mostly the United States, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Some Venezuelans also visited, but most had higher incomes because of the high prices for services.

Of all tourists who visit Los Roques, 95% arrive by plane, while the rest travel by boat. Staying on a sailboat is another choice, but it is expensive. The cheapest option is camping in areas set aside by INPARQUES. Although Los Roques has many types of accommodations, 96% of tourists stay in posadas, 3% in sailboats, and less than 1% in camps.

For divers, the Los Roques barrier reef is one of the best-preserved in the Caribbean. The warm, clear water provides excellent visibility, allowing divers of all experience levels to see a wide variety of fish and colorful underwater plants, both during the day and at night.

Los Roques also has several islands that are good for windsurfing and kitesurfing because the wind blows all year. On Gran Roque, visitors can rent equipment and find guides and instructors for these activities.

El Gran Roque is the only populated island in the group. It has an airport that can handle small or STOL aircraft, called Los Roques Airport. The airport is controlled from Maiquetía Airport on the mainland.

From El Gran Roque, most visitors travel to the port and take small boats called "peñeros" to the keys between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Activities include fishing for species like bonefish, barracuda, tarpon, jack, and Spanish mackerel, birdwatching, snorkeling, diving, paddling, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. There is also a sea turtle research center on Dos Mosquises. Accommodations include Pez Raton Lodge, which is mainly used for fishing guests, Posada Mediterraneo, a five-room inn for non-fishing guests, and other places like El Canto de la Ballena and Posada La Gaviota.