This archipelago is located in the far northwest of the Antilles, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The collection of islands, islets and keys consists of the main island, Puerto Rico, and the smaller islands of Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Monito, Desecheo and Caja de Muertos. The total archipelago includes about 660 pieces of land classified as islands, islets and keys. It is important to define each of these terms. An island is a piece of land surrounded on all sides by water. An islet is a small, unpopulated island and a key is a small, flat, sandy island.
To the northeast of Puerto Rico is a chain of pieces of land consisting of the islets of Las Cucarachas, Los Farallones and the keys of Icacos, Ratones, Lobos, Blanquilla and Diablos, as well as the islands Palominos and Palominitos.
To the east are the island of Piñeros and the keys Piñerito and Cabeza de Perro. To the south are the keys Caribe, Puerca, De Pájaros, Morrillo, Ratones, Caracoles, Berbería, Fríos, Río, Palomas, Parguera, María Larga, Caña Gorda, Don Luis, Terremoto, Enrique and others.
To the north are the keys Negritos, Tres Hermanas, the islet Garzas and the island Las Palomas, among other pieces of land.
Around the island of Culebra are, among others, the keys Lobo, Yerba, Ratón del Agua, De Luis Peña, Norte, Ballena, Tiburón, Geniquí, Sombrerito and Botella, and the islands Culebrita and Pelá. Near Vieques are the keys Real, De Tierra, Chiva and Jalova, among others.
References:
Lugo, Ariel, Maya Quiñones, Olga M. Ramos González (USDA Forest Service Instituto Internacional de Dasonomía Tropical). “Islas, islotes y cayos del archipiélago puertorriqueño”, Revista Ambiental Corriente Verde, http://www.corrienteverde.com/articulos/Islas%20islotes%20y%20cayos%20del%20archipielago%20puertorriqueno.html. Consulted 30/12/2020.
Portal Oficial Gobierno de Puerto Rico. “Geografía de Puerto Rico” Sistemas de Información Geográfica (GIS), http://www.gis.pr.gov/Pages/Geografia_PR.aspx. Consulted 30/12/2020.
Revision: Dr. Lizette Cabrera Salcedo, December 30, 2020