 Las Aves | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°57′23″N67°25′51″W / 11.95639°N 67.43083°W /11.95639; -67.43083 |
| Archipelago | Leeward Antilles |
| Area | 3.35 km2 (1.29 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Federal Dependencies | |
TheLas Aves Archipelago is a pristinearchipelago in theCaribbean Sea, and is a part of theFederal Dependencies ofVenezuela. It is located north of the Venezuelan states ofAragua andCarabobo, between theDutch islandBonaire in the west, and theLos Roques Archipelago in the east, at12°00′N67°40′W / 12.000°N 67.667°W /12.000; -67.667. The prime economic importance of the islands lies infishing. "Las Aves" translates to "The Birds" in English.[1][2][3]
Las Aves was the site of a major Dutch victory over the French in 1678, when a French fleet commanded by AdmiralJean d'Estrées on its way to capture the nearby Dutch islandCuraçao was decoyed onto the reefs of Aves de Sotovento by a small force of three Dutch ships. When D'Estrees' ship hit the reef, he fired cannons as a warning to the ships behind. However, they interpreted the signal to mean that he was under attack so they came rushing to his aid - and likewise struck the reefs.
The entire French fleet of 13 ships was lost as a result of the Admiral's eagerness to fight. The survivors found no fresh water on Las Aves. They tried to survive on barrels of wine and salted meat that washed up ashore. But these supplies ran out and eventually they perished. The Admiral was one of the few to be rescued. On Curaçao, a Day of Thanksgiving was observed until far into the 18th century to commemorate the island's fortunate escape from being ravaged by the French.
Las Aves was considered by the Dutch as part of their West Indian possessions. InThe Dutch West Indies (Amsterdam, 1836),Marten Douwes Teenstra wrote, "The Government of Curaçao also includes the uninhabited islets and rocks Little Curaçao, Aves, Roques and Orchilla."
In 1978, Venezuela and theKingdom of the Netherlands established the marine limits between the Federal Dependencies and theDutch Antilles in theCaribbean Sea.[4]
The archipelago consists of twoatoll-like reef complexes:[5][6]
In total, there are 21 islets and islands in both groups. The archipelago is not to be confused withAves Island, which is the most remote island claimed by Venezuela, far to the north.
Media related toLas Aves Archipelago at Wikimedia Commons
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