Nickname: Hog Islands | |
|---|---|
 View from lighthouse facing southwest | |
  Cayos Cochinos Cayos Cochinos (Honduras)  Cayos Cochinos Cayos Cochinos (Caribbean) | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 15°58′18.99″N 86°28′31.34″W / 15.9719417°N 86.4753722°W |
| Archipelago | Bay Islands |
| Total islands | 15 |
| Major islands | 2 |
| Area | 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Department | Bay Islands |
| Municipality | Islas de la Bahía |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 108 |
| Pop. density | 54/km2 (140/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Garifuna |
The Cayos Cochinos or Cochinos Cays consist of two small islands (Cayo Menor and Cayo Grande) and 13 smaller coral cays situated 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of La Ceiba on the northern shores of Honduras. Although geographically separate, they belong to the Bay Islands department and are part of the Roatán municipality. The population numbered 108 at the 2001 census. The total land area measures about 2 km2 (0.8 sq mi).
The islands are a Marine Protected Area and are managed by the Honduras Coral Reef Foundation. The coral reef here is part of the world's second largest coral reef system known as the Meso-American Barrier Reef. There is a scientific research station on Cayo Menor, the smaller of the two main islands in the system.
National Geographic writes, "The waters around this collection of coral cays are a marine biologist's dream: protected by the government, off-limits to commercial divers and fishermen, and busy with creatures that may not yet have names."[1]
- ^ National Geographic (2008-02-01). "Dive an Untouched Reef". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2010-11-08.