Vieques Island

(Local Name: Isla de Vieques) Spanish colonists named this island Vieques (Isla de Vieques), a corruption of the Taíno name for the island, Bieque, meaning "small island". 21mi/34km long and 5mi/8km wide, Vieques is the largest of the Spanish Virgin Islands. The distance between Vieques and the southeast coast of Puerto Rico is about 8mi/13km, however if you are taking the ferry from Fajardo the distance is 18mi/29km. Only one third of Vieques is open to local use and visitors, while the other two thirds are navy lands. The U.S. Navy has had jurisdiction of about 70% of the island since 1941, and uses the land as a training area. The population of the island is about 9,000.