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Archipelago

    Atlantic OceanVenezuela and Netherlands

    12°11′N 68°59′W

    Leeward Antilles

    Part of Lesser Antilles

    The Leeward Antilles (Dutch: Benedenwindse Eilanden; Spanish: islas de Sotavento; Papiamento: Islanan Abou) are a chain of islands in the Caribbean, specifically part of the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and, in turn, the Antilles and the West Indies) along the southeastern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan coast of the South American mainland.

    Panoramic view of Juan Griego bay from Fort La Galera. Juan Griego is a city on the northern side of Isla Margarita, and is the most northern port in Venezuela.
    Panoramic view of Juan Griego bay from Fort La Galera. Juan Griego is a city on the northern side of Isla Margarita, and is the most northern port in Venezuela.

    Wilfredor / CC0

    Chart

    91 landforms

    Overview

    The Leeward Antilles (Dutch: Benedenwindse Eilanden; Spanish: islas de Sotavento; Papiamento: Islanan Abou) are a chain of islands in the Caribbean, specifically part of the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and, in turn, the Antilles and the West Indies) along the southeastern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan coast of the South American mainland. The Leeward Antilles, while among the Lesser Antilles, are not to be confused with the Leeward Islands (also of the Lesser Antilles) to the northeast. Largely lacking in volcanic activity, the Leeward Antilles island arc occurs along the deformed southern edge of the Caribbean Plate and was formed by the plate's subduction under the South American Plate. Recent studies indicate that the Leeward Antilles are accreting to South America.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands5
    • Minor islands15
    • Islets27
    • Rocks & skerries44

    Major islands

    5
    • Margarita Island

      Margarita Island

      Area
      952 km²
      High point
      960 m

      Margarita Island (Isla de Margarita, Spanish pronunciation: [maɾɣaˈɾita]) is the largest island in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, situated off the north west coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea. The capital city of Nueva Esparta, La Asunción, is located on the island.

    • Bonaire

      Bonaire

      Area
      272 km²
      High point
      241 m
    • Aruba

      Aruba

      Area
      179 km²
      High point
      188 m
    • La Tortuga Island

      La Tortuga Island

      Area
      152 km²
      High point
      48 m

      La Tortuga Island (Spanish: Isla La Tortuga; "La Tortuga" means literally "the turtle") is an uninhabited island of Venezuela, the largest in the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela. It is part of a group of islands that include the Tortuguillos and Cayo Herradura. Isla La Tortuga has an area of 156 km2 (60 sq mi).

    • Curaçao

      Area
      428 km²
      High point
      372 m

      Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is an island country located in the southern Caribbean Sea, specifically the Dutch Caribbean region, about 65 km (40 mi) north of Venezuela and 80 km (50 mi) southeast of Aruba.

    Minor islands

    15

    • La Blanquilla Island

      Area
      64.4 km²
      High point
      46 m

    • Coche Island

      Area
      55.1 km²
      High point
      67 m

    • La Orchila Island

      Area
      42.8 km²
      High point
      132 m

    • Cubagua Island

      Area
      24.5 km²
      High point
      56 m

    • Klein Bonaire

      Area
      6.9 km²
      High point
      7 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      1.5 km²
      High point
      8 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      1.5 km²
      High point
      6 m

    • Klein Curaçao

      Area
      1.2 km²
      High point
      5 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.79 km²
      High point
      11 m

    • Cayo Herradura

      Area
      0.3 km²
      High point
      2 m

    • Maceta de Isla Fernando

      Area
      0.24 km²
      High point
      19 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.2 km²
      High point
      6 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      0.15 km²
      High point
      7 m

    • Unnamed island

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    • Nordisquí

      Area
      —

      size unknown

    Islets

    27
    • Palm Island Key3 m · 0.1 km²
    • Isla Fernando5 m · 0.08 km²
    • Maceta de Nube Verde0.07 km²
    • Isla de Plata34 m · 0.04 km²
    • Isleta Varadero22 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island11 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island2 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island4 m · 0.02 km²
    • Unnamed island1 m · 0.01 km²
    • Unnamed island0.01 km²
    • Unnamed island2 m · 0.01 km²
    • Unnamed island2 m · 1 ha

    Rocks & skerries

    44
    • Farallón Centinela0.5 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Fallaroncito<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • La Sola Island<0.1 ha

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level500 m1,000 m960 mMargarita372 mCuraçao241 mBonaire188 mAruba132 mLa Orchila67 mCoche56 mCubagua48 mLa Tortuga46 mLa Blanquilla34 mIsla de Plata22 mIsleta Varadero19 mMaceta de Isla Fernando7 mKlein Bonaire5 mKlein Curaçao
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.0000010.000010.00010.0010.010.11101001,000Margarita: 952 km²MargaritaCuraçao: 428 km²CuraçaoBonaire: 272 km²BonaireAruba: 179 km²ArubaLa Tortuga: 152 km²La TortugaLa Blanquilla: 64.4 km²La BlanquillaCoche: 55.1 km²CocheLa Orchila: 42.8 km²La OrchilaCubagua: 24.5 km²CubaguaKlein Bonaire: 6.9 km²Klein BonaireUnnamed island: 1.5 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 1.5 km²Unnamed islandKlein Curaçao: 1.2 km²Klein CuraçaoUnnamed island: 0.79 km²Unnamed islandCayo Herradura: 0.3 km²Cayo HerraduraMaceta de Isla Fernando: 0.24 km²Maceta de Isla Fe…Unnamed island: 0.2 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.15 km²Unnamed islandPalm Island Key: 0.1 km²Palm Island KeyIsla Fernando: 0.08 km²Isla FernandoMaceta de Nube Verde: 0.07 km²Maceta de Nube Ve…Isla de Plata: 0.04 km²Isla de PlataIsleta Varadero: 0.02 km²Isleta VaraderoUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandUnnamed island: 1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.7 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandFarallón Centinela: 0.5 haFarallón CentinelaUnnamed island: 0.5 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandIsla Palomino: 0.3 haIsla PalominoUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed island
    km², log scale. 2 without a known area.
    Margarita Island952 km²
    Curaçao428 km²
    Bonaire272 km²
    Aruba179 km²
    La Tortuga Island152 km²
    La Blanquilla Island64.4 km²
    Coche Island55.1 km²
    La Orchila Island42.8 km²
    Cubagua Island24.5 km²
    Klein Bonaire6.9 km²
    Unnamed island1.5 km²
    Unnamed island1.5 km²
    Klein Curaçao1.2 km²
    Unnamed island0.79 km²
    Cayo Herradura0.3 km²
    Maceta de Isla Fernando0.24 km²
    Unnamed island0.2 km²
    Unnamed island0.15 km²
    Palm Island Key0.1 km²
    Isla Fernando0.08 km²
    Maceta de Nube Verde0.07 km²
    Isla de Plata0.04 km²
    Isleta Varadero0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Unnamed island1 ha
    Unnamed island0.7 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Farallón Centinela0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.5 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Isla Palomino0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Fallaroncito<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    La Sola Island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Piedra El Montadero<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Piedra Platini<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Groups within

    3

    Overlapping groups

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs