What life is like on the most densely populated island in the world, where about 500 people live on the length of 2 football fields
Santa Cruz del Islote off the coast of Colombia is the most densely populated island in the world.
Its population grew because of fishing, but that declined due to climate change and unsustainable practices.
The island has no toilets or sewage, and drinking water, food, and other necessary supplies have to be imported.
Off the northern coast of Colombia in the Gulf of Morrosquillo, there is a small, barren island called Santa Cruz del Islote. It covers about 12,000 square yards — roughly the size of two football fields.
You might not know it by looking at it, but it is the most populated island in the world.
The island was uninhabited until about 150 years ago. It was smaller back then — a remote chunk of rock less than the size of one football field. Fishermen rested on it or took refuge there during storms.
Unlike neighboring islands surrounded by mangroves, Santa Cruz del Islote was mosquito free. Soon, people began to move there. They built homes and extended the island using what they foraged from the sea, including shells, sand, tree trunks, and garbage.
As of 2017, the island had 97 houses and 47 permanent families. The population of the island is contested. Some estimates get up to 1,200 people, but more recent estimates state there are about 500 permanent residents on the island.
Regardless, almost every inch of the island has been built on. Its population is four times as dense as that of Manhattan, New York.
According to a local, people live so close to each other they all dream the same dream.
The island houses a younger demographic — around 65% of the permanent residents are under 18.
Despite its unassuming size, Santa Cruz del Islote is not an easy place to live. The island has no toilets or sewage, and there's nothing to eat except what can be fished. Drinking water, other foods, and other necessities are shipped to the island.
There's also no space to bury the dead, so family members are buried on other islands.
Sources: National Geographic, Independent
Human rights lawyer Fernando Sanchez Jaramillo told the Independent the Cartagena government has been failing the island. The city was meant to deliver water and remove trash once a week, but it often took weeks, even months, for boats to come to the island.
Residents have to rely on rain water for drinking and often take their trash to other islands themselves.
This comes with its own problems, including island residents getting sick.
Source: Independent
As for electricity, locals used to have to rely on a single diesel generator that they could only afford to run in the evenings. The government installed solar panels on the island in 2015.
But this came with its own problems. In a month, locals had bought 20 TVs and other appliances, and residents grew increasingly concerned there wouldn't be enough power for everyone.
The island has the only school in the region. But the school ends at 10th grade, so anyone who wants further education must leave the island, either as a daily commute or permanently. Many choose to stay and fish instead.
The island has become a destination for tourists. For 5,000 pesos, a tourist can swim with nurse sharks in the island's aquarium. Since there's no space on the island, tourists have to stay on nearby islands.
As for the future, nothing is certain. Fishing was the reason it grew in the first place, but the fisheries are declining due to climate change and unsustainable fishing practices.
Climate change and unsustainable practices, including fishing with dynamite, have destroyed local coral reefs.
Days now go by before fishermen have any success.
A local fisherman named Blas Enrique Mesa Medrano also told Medium the number of fishermen had grown massively.
"In the 70s there used to be 60 fishermen, now there are 180 — and 600 come from elsewhere — so we're finishing off what the park has provided for us," he said.
The inhabitants also have no rights over the island. According to Jaramillo, there are groups who would like the island to be disbanded, including the Cartagena government and wealthy citizens who live nearby who dislike the island.
They see it as a "favela in the sea," referring to the Brazilian term for a slum or working class neighborhood.
But the island has its supporters, too. Anthropologist Lavinia Fiori told the Independent she wants to help the island by creating new forms of income, such as adding restaurants for tourists over the water and investing in better fishing technology, as well as making space to grow fruit and vegetables.
"It's a very rich community, culturally and historically," she said. "They are sea people. They are the very few Colombian sea people that we have."
She added: "They should be allowed to continue to live in the sea."
Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/life-most-densely-...01500.html
---
" The fisheries are declining due to climate change says the article. Or perhaps it's more like, "In the 70s there used to be 60 fishermen, now there are 180 — and 600 come from elsewhere" he said. The article also mentions that they sometimes fish using dynamite. But its climate change, got it . "
"" Climate Change, Climate Change and oh yeah, they fish using dynamite and the coral reefs were destroyed and no longer support a large enough supply of fish to sustain the island" "Climate Change ""
" Notice fishing declined due to climate change not that in the 100 plus years they have over fished "
" I am going to bet that the dynamiting of the reefs have a lot more to do with the decrease in fish than "climate change " "
Santa Cruz del Islote off the coast of Colombia is the most densely populated island in the world.
Its population grew because of fishing, but that declined due to climate change and unsustainable practices.
The island has no toilets or sewage, and drinking water, food, and other necessary supplies have to be imported.
Off the northern coast of Colombia in the Gulf of Morrosquillo, there is a small, barren island called Santa Cruz del Islote. It covers about 12,000 square yards — roughly the size of two football fields.
You might not know it by looking at it, but it is the most populated island in the world.
The island was uninhabited until about 150 years ago. It was smaller back then — a remote chunk of rock less than the size of one football field. Fishermen rested on it or took refuge there during storms.
Unlike neighboring islands surrounded by mangroves, Santa Cruz del Islote was mosquito free. Soon, people began to move there. They built homes and extended the island using what they foraged from the sea, including shells, sand, tree trunks, and garbage.
As of 2017, the island had 97 houses and 47 permanent families. The population of the island is contested. Some estimates get up to 1,200 people, but more recent estimates state there are about 500 permanent residents on the island.
Regardless, almost every inch of the island has been built on. Its population is four times as dense as that of Manhattan, New York.
According to a local, people live so close to each other they all dream the same dream.
The island houses a younger demographic — around 65% of the permanent residents are under 18.
Despite its unassuming size, Santa Cruz del Islote is not an easy place to live. The island has no toilets or sewage, and there's nothing to eat except what can be fished. Drinking water, other foods, and other necessities are shipped to the island.
There's also no space to bury the dead, so family members are buried on other islands.
Sources: National Geographic, Independent
Human rights lawyer Fernando Sanchez Jaramillo told the Independent the Cartagena government has been failing the island. The city was meant to deliver water and remove trash once a week, but it often took weeks, even months, for boats to come to the island.
Residents have to rely on rain water for drinking and often take their trash to other islands themselves.
This comes with its own problems, including island residents getting sick.
Source: Independent
As for electricity, locals used to have to rely on a single diesel generator that they could only afford to run in the evenings. The government installed solar panels on the island in 2015.
But this came with its own problems. In a month, locals had bought 20 TVs and other appliances, and residents grew increasingly concerned there wouldn't be enough power for everyone.
The island has the only school in the region. But the school ends at 10th grade, so anyone who wants further education must leave the island, either as a daily commute or permanently. Many choose to stay and fish instead.
The island has become a destination for tourists. For 5,000 pesos, a tourist can swim with nurse sharks in the island's aquarium. Since there's no space on the island, tourists have to stay on nearby islands.
As for the future, nothing is certain. Fishing was the reason it grew in the first place, but the fisheries are declining due to climate change and unsustainable fishing practices.
Climate change and unsustainable practices, including fishing with dynamite, have destroyed local coral reefs.
Days now go by before fishermen have any success.
A local fisherman named Blas Enrique Mesa Medrano also told Medium the number of fishermen had grown massively.
"In the 70s there used to be 60 fishermen, now there are 180 — and 600 come from elsewhere — so we're finishing off what the park has provided for us," he said.
The inhabitants also have no rights over the island. According to Jaramillo, there are groups who would like the island to be disbanded, including the Cartagena government and wealthy citizens who live nearby who dislike the island.
They see it as a "favela in the sea," referring to the Brazilian term for a slum or working class neighborhood.
But the island has its supporters, too. Anthropologist Lavinia Fiori told the Independent she wants to help the island by creating new forms of income, such as adding restaurants for tourists over the water and investing in better fishing technology, as well as making space to grow fruit and vegetables.
"It's a very rich community, culturally and historically," she said. "They are sea people. They are the very few Colombian sea people that we have."
She added: "They should be allowed to continue to live in the sea."
Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/life-most-densely-...01500.html
---
" The fisheries are declining due to climate change says the article. Or perhaps it's more like, "In the 70s there used to be 60 fishermen, now there are 180 — and 600 come from elsewhere" he said. The article also mentions that they sometimes fish using dynamite. But its climate change, got it . "
"" Climate Change, Climate Change and oh yeah, they fish using dynamite and the coral reefs were destroyed and no longer support a large enough supply of fish to sustain the island" "Climate Change ""
" Notice fishing declined due to climate change not that in the 100 plus years they have over fished "
" I am going to bet that the dynamiting of the reefs have a lot more to do with the decrease in fish than "climate change " "
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