Swan Islands, Honduras facts for kids
Little Swan Island
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 17°24′38″N 83°55′19″W / 17.41056°N 83.92194°W |
| Archipelago | Bay Islands |
| Administration | |
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Honduras
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| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
The Swan Islands, also known as Islas Santanilla, are a small group of three islands. You can find them in the northwestern part of the Caribbean Sea. They are located about 90 miles (145 kilometers) away from the coast of Honduras. These islands cover a total land area of about 8 square kilometers (3 square miles).
Contents
Where are the Swan Islands?
The Swan Islands are part of the Islas de la Bahía department in Honduras. They are also located within Honduras's EEZ. An EEZ is a special area of the sea where a country has rights to explore and use marine resources.
The three islands are:
- Great Swan Island: This is the largest island, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long. It covers an area of 5.5 square kilometers (2.1 square miles).
- Little Swan Island: This island is about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) long and 0.5 kilometers (0.3 miles) wide. Its area is 2.5 square kilometers (1 square mile).
- Booby Cay: This is the smallest island, only about 90 meters (295 feet) long. It is located very close to the southwest corner of Great Swan Island.
Two other underwater areas, Rosario Bank and Misteriosa Bank, are located north of the Swan Islands. A very deep part of the ocean called the Cayman Trough separates them.
Who lives on the islands?
Currently, no people live permanently on the Swan Islands. However, a small group of the Honduran navy stays there. Great Swan Island also has a grass airstrip, which is a runway for planes.
A Look at Swan Islands History
For a long time, both the United States and Honduras claimed the Swan Islands. However, in 1972, the United States officially gave up its claim. This happened under a law called the Guano Islands Act.
The islands became well-known in the early 1960s because of a radio station. This station was called Radio Swan. It started broadcasting in May 1960. The broadcasts were related to events leading up to the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba. The radio station was later moved from the islands in the late 1960s. Its main radio equipment was then used for the Vietnam War.
In October 1998, a very strong storm called Hurricane Mitch passed over Swan Island. The hurricane brought winds as fast as 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour).
Images for kids
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Map including the Swan Islands (Defense Mapping Agency, 1977)
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Area map
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Nautical map of the Swan Islands
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NASA satellite image
See also
In Spanish: Islas del Cisne para niños
