Located 160 km north of Caracas, the Los Roques Archipelago is part of the Francisco de Miranda Insular Territory and was designated a National Park in 1972. Covering an area of 225 hectares, it is one of the best-preserved reef ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean.

It comprises over 42 cays and 300 coral and sand banks. Its landscapes feature white-sand beaches, lagoons, mangroves, seagrass meadows, and salt flats. Gran Roque, the main cay, concentrates most of the park’s tourist infrastructure and services, including guesthouses, an airstrip, and a visitor registration point.

Since 1996, Los Roques has been listed as a RAMSAR site of international importance, due to its ecological value and role in the migratory patterns of seabirds.

The park hosts high marine and bird biodiversity and plays a key role in conserving the coastal and reef ecosystems of the Venezuelan Caribbean.

Image credits: Data Space Copernicus.

Source: National Parks Institute of Venezuela (Inparques).