Cayo Grande (Los Roques)

Cayo Grande is an island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the Los Roques Archipelago in Venezuela. Administratively, it is part of the Francisco de Miranda Insular Territory within the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela.

Geography

With an area of approximately 15.1 square kilometers (5.8 sq mi), Cayo Grande is the largest island in the Los Roques archipelago by land area. It is located in the southern section of the national park, positioned south of Gran Roque, east of the central lagoon (Bajos de Los Roques), west of the East Barrier Reef (Gran Barrera Arrecifal del Este), and north of the Gresquí and Sebastopol cays.

Like other islands in the area, such as Cayo Sal, its elongated and irregular shape was significantly influenced by prevailing marine currents.

Conservation

Unlike the more tourist-heavy islands of the archipelago, Cayo Grande belongs to the designated "Integral Protection Zone" (Zona de Protección Integral) of the Los Roques Archipelago National Park. Consequently, access to the island is strictly regulated, and visitors or activities require specific authorization from Inparques (the National Parks Institute of Venezuela) to protect its fragile ecological environment.

See also

• List of islands of Venezuela
• Federal Dependencies of Venezuela