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SOUTH AMERICA: San Andres Island

Overview

San Andres Island is the biggest of a collection of islands in the Caribbean Sea. While Christopher Columbus was the first European to actually discover the islands, English Pilgrims settled them in the early 17th Century. Their ship, the Seaflower, landed at approximately the same time as the Mayflower found its way to Plymouth Rock. Over the next two hundred years, the archipelago was a constant source of conflict, as the European powers fought over which country ruled the islands. In the meantime, the infamous pirate, Henry Morgan, used San Andres Island as his base for attacks all over the Caribbean. In 1793, the dispute was finally settled, as England recognized Spain's sovereignty over the islands in the Versailles Treaty.

Although San Andres Island is only eighty miles from Nicaragua, the archipelago is a property of Colombia, which is almost five hundred miles away. The island's economy used to center around cotton until slavery was abolished in the mid-19th Century. Coconuts became the main source of income for the locals, until a plague destroyed the entire coconut crop in 1930. Now, San Andres Island uses its status as a duty-free port to attract tourism and industry.

San Andres Island is only eight miles long, and never rises above two hundred feet in elevation. The Caribbean Sea that surrounds San Andres is particularly resplendent, with seven shades of blue water easily visible around the island. About 60,000 people call San Andres home today. They are blessed with year-round temperate weather, warm water, beautiful sunsets, and a laid-back lifestyle.

San Andres Island Facts
	Currency	Colombian Peso
	Language	Officially Spanish, but English is widely spoken
	Area Code	098

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