| Isla Mujeres | |||
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  Isla Mujeres
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| Coordinates: 21°13′N 86°43′W / 21.217°N 86.717°WCoordinates: 21°13′N 86°43′W / 21.217°N 86.717°W | |||
| Country |  Mexico |
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| State |  Quintana Roo |
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| Municipal Seat | Isla Mujeres | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | ND | ||
| - Municipal President[1] | Alicia Concepción Ricalde Magaña | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 1,100 km2 (424.7 sq mi) | ||
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| Population (2005 [3]) | |||
| - Total | 13,315 | ||
| Time zone | Central Standard Time (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Central Daylight Time (UTC-5) | ||
| INEGI Code | 003 | ||
| Major Airport | Cancún International Airport | ||
| IATA Code | CUN | ||
| ICAO Code | MMUN | ||
| Website | Official Site | ||
| Municipalities of Quintana Roo | |||
Isla Mujeres one of the nine municipalities of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The municipality, located in the northeastern corner of the state is mostly on the mainland and has a municipal seat of the same name; Isla Mujeres. The municipal seat is a small island town a short distance off the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) northeast of Cancún. The island is some 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and 650 metres (2,100 ft) wide. In the 2005 census, the town had a population of 11,147.[4]
Transportation on the island of Isla Mujeres consists primarily of taxis or golf carts and moped scooters. As of 2005 there were 121 taxis, 500 golf carts, and 1500 moped scooters.[4]
In Pre-Columbian times the island was sacred to the Mayan aged goddess of childbirth and medicine, Ix Chel. When the Spanish arrived here in the 16th century they named it "Isla Mujeres" meaning "Island of Women" because of the many cult images of goddesses here.
There was a small Mayan temple on the south tip of the island, however in 1988 Hurricane Gilbert caused extensive damage to it, leaving most of the foundation and a very small portion of the temple.
Since the 1970s along with Cancún there has been substantial development for tourism in Isla Mujeres.
Ferry boats run every half hour during daylight between the island and Puerto Juárez or Puerto Cancún on the mainland. The island is popular with day trippers, but activity quiets down in the evening after the tour groups leave. There are numerous places to eat fresh seafood, as well as Maya cuisine. Hotel prices vary from cheap to very expensive at the resorts on the southwest end such as Hotel Villa Rolandi. On the east is the Caribbean Sea with a strong surf and rocky coast, and on the west the skyline of Cancún is seen across the clear waters. On the north end is El Centro (downtown), whose central axis, Hidalgo Street, is the main dining and entertainment area. Also located on the north end is a famous beach called Playa Norte, which has recovered quickly since Hurricane Wilma hit the area in 2005.
The island of Isla Mujeres is located close to one of many coral reefs, and the area is popular for its snorkeling and scuba diving. Isla Mujeres is also home to a population of sea turtles. Because of the recent endangerment of sea turtles in the area, a facility was set up on the southern end of the island for the rehabilitation and breeding of them. This facility is open to the public.
The island's relative proximity to Cuba has made it one of the favorite stepping stones of Cubans trying to reach the United States in recent years.[5]
References
- ^ [1] Official Website for Isla Mujeres
- ^ Quintana Roo Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
- ^ Census Results by Locality, 2005 INEGI.
- ^ a b Census of 2005 Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática, in Spanish.
- ^ Lacey, Marc (2007-10-15), "For Cubans, a Twisting New Route to the U.S.", New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/world/americas/16cuba.html, retrieved 2007-10-15
External links
- Fideicomiso de Promoción Turística de Isla Mujeres Official tourism website
- Isla Mujeres at the Open Directory Project
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