Islas Marías

The Islas Marías ("Mary Islands") make up an archipelago in Mexico, consisting of four islands. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, some 100 km (62 mi) off the coast of the state of Nayarit and about 370 km (230 mi) southeast of the tip of Baja California. They are part of the municipality (municipio) of San Blas, Nayarit. The islands were used as a penal colony until February 18, 2019, when President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ordered the closure of its operation as Islas Marías Federal Prison.

This article is about the Mexican islands. For the Falkland island known as Isla María, see Bleaker Island. For the small islands of the coast of St. Lucia, see Islands of Saint Lucia. For the Czech card game known as Mariáš which is similar to a German game, see Sixty-Six (card game).
Islas Marías
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates21°31′N 106°29′W
ArchipelagoIslas Marías
Total islands9
Major islandsMaría Madre, María Magdalena, María Cleofas and San Juanito
Area244.970 km2 (94.583 sq mi)
Highest elevation616 m (2021 ft)
Highest pointPunta Rocallosa
Administration
Mexico
StateNayarit
MunicipalitySan Blas, Nayarit
Largest settlementPuerto Balleto (pop. 602)
Demographics
Population1,116 (2005)
Pop. density7.68/km2 (19.89/sq mi)

The first European to encounter the islands was Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, a cousin of Hernán Cortés in 1532, who gave them the name Islas Magdalenas. He found no evidence of prior habitation by the Native Americans.

In 2010 the archipelago was designated the Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

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