San Lorenzo Island, Peru
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 12°5′23″S 77°13′26″W / 12.08972°S 77.22389°WCoordinates: 12°5′23″S 77°13′26″W / 12.08972°S 77.22389°W |
| Area | 16.5 km2 (6.4 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
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Peru
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| Region | Callao |
San Lorenzo Island is the largest island of Peru. The island is in the Pacific Ocean near the port of Callao and measures 16.5 square kilometres (6.4 sq mi).
San Lorenzo Island was incorporated in 1899 as territory of the Constitutional Province of Callao by decree of President Andrés Avelino Cáceres Dorregaray. The island was seized by the coup d'état government of Leguía y Salcedo and subsequently adoled out to navy sequestration in 1926. Under the unique status that Callao holds as Peru's only constitutionally formed province/region and without a change of status quo tilted in favor of a republic under civilian control, resolution of conflict over de facto vs de jure land use of San Lorenzo Island remains for global opinion and Peru's Supreme Court to resolve.
As of 2011[update], San Lorenzo is not open to the public. It is a restricted zone controlled by the Marina de Guerra del Perú; in rare cases, specialized professionals (archeologists, naturalists, etc.) may apply for and receive extraordinary permission to land on the island. Civilian vessels are required to maintain a distance of at least 300 metres (980 ft) from the shore of the island.
Only eight kilometers long and two kilometers wide, San Lorenzo is the largest island in Peru. Its lack of fresh water has precluded urbanisation, although there are many projects to do so, including a bridge to connect the District of La Punta in nearby Callao with the island. Nearby is the small island of El Frontón, which is separated by a channel 800 m wide, called El Boqueron, and Palomino Islands, known for its populations of sea lions. Its maximum height is the Cerro La Mina at 396 m above sea level.
San Lorenzo has some archeological interest and includes artifacts of Incan and pre-Incan origin. It was used during the Battle of Callao as a burial place; its current under-use by the Peruvian Navy has led, in the first decades of the twenty-first century, to a new de facto status as an unlisted marine bioreserve, being the home to many creatures, notably scallops, seabirds, and sea lions.
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