Bajo Nuevo Bank

Bajo Nuevo Bank

Disputed reef and islands
Image of Bajo Nuevo from the ISS
Bajo Nuevo Bank Show map of Caribbean Bajo Nuevo Bank Show map of San Andrés y Providencia Bajo Nuevo Bank Show map of Colombia
Other names	Petrel Islands
Geography
Location	Caribbean Sea
Coordinates	15°53′N 78°38′W / 15.883°N 78.633°W / 15.883; -78.633
Length	26 km (16.2 mi)
Width	9 km (5.6 mi)
Highest elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Highest point	Unnamed location on Low Cay
Administration
Colombia
Department	San Andres and Providencia
Claimed by
Jamaica
Nicaragua
United States
Demographics
Population	0

Bajo Nuevo Bank, also known as the Petrel Islands (Spanish: Bajo Nuevo, Islas Petrel), is a small, uninhabited reef with some small grass-covered islets, located in the western Caribbean Sea at 15°53′N 78°38′W / 15.883°N 78.633°W / 15.883; -78.633, with a lighthouse on Low Cay at 15°51′N 78°38′W / 15.850°N 78.633°W / 15.850; -78.633. The closest neighbouring land feature is Serranilla Bank, located 110 kilometres (68 miles) to the west.

The reef was first shown on Dutch maps dating to 1634 but was given its present name in 1654. Bajo Nuevo was rediscovered by the English pirate John Glover in 1660. The reef is now subject to a sovereignty dispute involving Colombia and the United States. On 19 November 2012, in regard to Nicaraguan claims to the islands, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found, unanimously, that the Republic of Colombia has sovereignty over both Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Banks, although the judgment does not analyze or mention the competing claims of Honduras or United States.^[1]