Isla de la Juventud

Isla de la Juventud
Symbol
Largest settlement	Nueva Gerona
Demonym(s)	Islanders
Area
• Total	2,237 km2 (864 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	86,559
HDI	0.832 very high
Today part of	Cuba

The Isle of Youth (Spanish: Isla de la Juventud) is the largest Cuban island after Cuba itself. It is the sixth-largest island in the West Indies. The island has an area of 3,056 km² (1,180 sq mi) and is 100 km (62 mi) southwest of mainland Cuba. It is across the Gulf of Batabanó. The island is almost directly south of Havana and Pinar del Río. Because of its superficial extension, population and for its economic characteristics, it is considered to be a Special Municipality. It is therefore not a part of any province. The Isle of Youth is administered directly by the central government of Cuba.

The island is the largest of the 350 in the Canarreos Archipelago (Archipiélago de los Canarreos). It has an estimated population of 100,000. The capital and largest city is Nueva Gerona in the north. The second-largest and oldest city is Santa Fe in the interior. Other communities are Columbia, Mac Kinley, Santa Bárbara, Cuchilla Alta, Punta del Este, Sierra de Caballos and Sierra de Casas. The island was called the Isle of Pines (Isla de Pinos) before 1978.