Native name: Dependencia Federal Isla La Blanquilla | |
|---|---|
 Blanquilla Island | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 11°51′12″N64°35′55″W / 11.85333°N 64.59861°W /11.85333; -64.59861 |
| Area | 64.53 km2 (24.92 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Federal Dependencies of Venezuela | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| Pop. density | 0/km2 (0/sq mi) |
Blanquilla is anisland, one of theFederal Dependencies ofVenezuela,[1] located in the south-easternCaribbean Sea about 293 km (182 miles) north-east ofCaracas. It is a popular location for divers, as well as famous for its white sand beaches, for which it is named.
The island is formed by theAves Ridge, a seafloor feature which protrudes above water to the north, forming several other islands. Its reefs are notable for theirblack coral, which is used for jewelry and other crafts.[2][3][4][5][6] The island has an area of around 64.53 km2[7]
The island's wildlife includes localcacti andgreen iguanas, as well asferal donkeys andgoats. It, along with its surrounding waters, has been designated anImportant Bird Area (IBA) byBirdLife International because it supports significant populations ofbrown pelicans,brown andmasked boobies, andyellow-shouldered amazons.[8]
In 2014, assertions made by the Hong Kong media that Venezuela was considering transferring ownership of Blanquilla island to China in exchange for the forgiveness of its $50 billion in debt were denied by the Chinese government.[citation needed]
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