San Andrés (island)
Island
San Andrés (Islander Creole English: San Andres) is a coral island in the Caribbean Sea. Politically part of Colombia, and historically tied to the United Kingdom, San Andrés and the nearby islands of Providencia and Santa Catalina form part of the department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina; or The Raizal Islands. San Andrés, in the southern group of islands, is the largest island of Colombia. The official languages of the department are Spanish, English, and San Andrés–Providencia Creole.
While San Andrés is located 50 km (31 mi) south of Providencia, the Colombian archipelago is approximately 750 km (470 mi) northwest of the Colombian mainland. This archipelago encompasses a total area of 57 km2 (22 sq mi), including the outer cays, reefs, atolls and sand banks, with the area of the islands being 45 km2 (17 sq mi). In 2000, it was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, named "Seaflower Biosphere Reserve", which not only includes the islands but also about 10% of the Caribbean Sea, amounting to a vast marine area of 300,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi). The purpose of this declaration is to ensure that the ecosystem, which is rich in biodiversity, is well preserved and conserved.
The department's capital is located on the northern end of the island. Named San Andrés but nicknamed El Centro, it is the department's main urban center.
The public source identifies “San Andrés (island)” as island. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Andrés, island and Island.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “San Andrés (island)”, the useful work is to connect “island” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q131051. VIAF identifies the subject as 129179071. The Library of Congress control number is n97088907. Authority coordinates are 12.583, -81.700. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2000.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
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Three-step research path
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “San Andrés (island)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.