Santa Cruz del Islote

Santa Cruz del Islote (English: Santa Cruz Islet or Holy Cross Islet) is an artificial island located off the coast of Bolívar Department[1] in Colombia, close to Tolu and Coveñas.[2] It is a part of the Archipelago of San Bernardo.[2] Its significant population compared with its small size results in its being one of the most densely populated islands on Earth.[3]

Santa Cruz del Islote
Native name:
Santa Cruz del Islote
Geography
LocationSan Bernardo Archipelago
Coordinates9°47′9″N 75°51′33″W
Area12,140.57 m2 (130,680.0 sq ft)
Length200 m (700 ft)
Width120 m (390 ft)
Administration
Demographics
Population1,247

History

The islet of artificial origin was started by locals who used materials such as coral, debris or stones to later gain land to the sea in a part of the coast of low tide, it is believed that this first establishment dates from 1870. Due to its small size some locals would later migrate to neighboring islets such as Tintipán or Mucura.

In 2013 a community council was formed by the local inhabitants to discuss local problems. In 2018 the island was affected by the flooding caused by the strong tidal wave, and some houses were affected.

Geography

The island has a total area of just above one hectare (12,140.57 m2).[4] It can be accessed by ferry from the port of Tolu. The inhabitants have to use neighboring islands as cemetery[3] and recreation grounds, and they work on the mainland rather than on the island. There is one school, with one teacher.[4] The Mucura Island Hotels are a prime source of work for the residents.

A map of Archipelago of San Bernardo. Santa Cruz del Islote is located in the upper-left of the map.

Demographics

In November 2016, with the support of the Universidad del Magdalena and the Universidad de los Andes, a population census was carried out which determined that 485 people inhabited the place. 63% of the population is under the age of 21. There are only 6 surnames and 97 houses. On the island there are some shops, a health post, an educational centre where students can attend up to eleven grades, and currently there are solar cells donated by the Japanese government, which supply the island with energy 24 hours a day. The most spoken language as in the rest of Colombia is Spanish and the majority of the population is Christian, mainly Catholic.

Government and politics

Due to its small size, the territory does not have any kind of autonomy, geographically it is part of the San Bernardo Archipelago in the Department of Bolivar[1] in the north of Colombia, and is occasionally guarded by the Colombian Navy.

Economy

Due to its small size the economic activities are limited to subsistence fishing and the growing tourism attracted by the pecularities of the island. It is possible to swim with sharks, rays and fish in a small makeshift pool that functions as an aquarium and to take short walks around the streets of the island. Some notices are in Spanish and English which suggests a recent interest in visiting the place by Colombians and foreigners.

The problem of space

To go to a cemetery, for example, you have to look for it on other islands, since there is no space on this one due to overcrowding. Marcela Lizcano, a film director from Bogota, made a documentary called Aislados (Isolated), in which she shows what life on the island is like, its main activities and problems.

Sport

In 2016 the Listerine company together with the former football goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon launched a commercial showing the creation of a football team on the island, which has no football pitch, and requested that teams from the country play against the island's team. The game was played at the Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla against Los Galacticos FC, ending with a score of 2-4, with the team from Santa Cruz del Islote winning.

See also

References
  1. "Sin médico, agua ni luz enfrenta el COVID-19 una de las islas más pobladas del planeta: está en Bolívar". Noticias Caracol (in Spanish). 2020-07-03. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  2. Rincon-Diaz, Martha Patricia; Rodríguez-Zárate, Clara Jimena (December 2004). "Characterization of nesting beaches and feeding areas of marine turtles at the San Bernardo Archipelago, Colombian Caribbean". Volume 33, Number 1. Bulletin of Marine and Coastal Research. Retrieved 9 January 2015. ISSN 0122-9761 (in Spanish)
  3. Wells, Miriam; Jack, Hunter (January 5, 2013), "How people live on the most crowded island on Earth", Toronto Star
  4. Lucy Lorena (11 June 2013). "Un viaje por Santa Cruz del Islote, la isla más poblada de Colombia" [Santa Cruz del Islote, lo most densely populated island of Colombia]. El Pais (Colombia) (in Spanish).
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