Cargados Carajos - Geography

Geography

In the past, Cargados Carajos was a large, volcanic island (part of the Mascarenes, caused by the Réunion hotspot). Over time however, the island eroded until it became submerged and a coral atoll was left behind.

The formation might be considered an atoll. Individual islets on the reef include, from north to south, with their respective locations:

• Albatross Island 16°15′0.0″S 59°36′0.0″E / 16.25°S 59.6°E / -16.25; 59.6 (Albatross Island) 1.01 km²
• Îlot du Nord (North Island) 16°19′0.0″S 59°39′0.0″E / 16.31667°S 59.65°E / -16.31667; 59.65 (Îlot du Nord)
• Île Raphael 16°27′0.0″S 59°37′0.0″E / 16.45°S 59.61667°E / -16.45; 59.61667 (Île Raphael)
• Îlot Siren 16°28′0.0″S 59°34′0.0″E / 16.46667°S 59.56667°E / -16.46667; 59.56667 (Îlot Siren)
• Île Tortue 16°28′0.0″S 59°41′0.0″E / 16.46667°S 59.68333°E / -16.46667; 59.68333 (Île Tortue) 0.13 km²
• Pearl Islet (Île Perle) 16°31′0.0″S 59°32′0.0″E / 16.51667°S 59.53333°E / -16.51667; 59.53333 (Pearl Islet)
• Île du Sud 16°32′0.0″S 59°32′0.0″E / 16.53333°S 59.53333°E / -16.53333; 59.53333 (Île du Sud)
• Avocare Island (Avoquer) 16°35′0.0″S 59°40′0.0″E / 16.58333°S 59.66667°E / -16.58333; 59.66667 (Avocare Island) 0.02 km²
• Petite Capitane 16°36′0.0″S 59°34′0.0″E / 16.6°S 59.56667°E / -16.6; 59.56667 (Petite Capitane)
• Grande Capitane 16°40′0.0″S 59°50′0.0″E / 16.66667°S 59.83333°E / -16.66667; 59.83333 (Grande Capitane)
• Mapare Islet 16°35′0.0″S 59°41′0.0″E / 16.58333°S 59.68333°E / -16.58333; 59.68333 (Mapare Islet) 0.4 km²
• Frigate Islet (Île Frégate) 16°37′0.0″S 59°31′0.0″E / 16.61667°S 59.51667°E / -16.61667; 59.51667 (Frigate Islet)
• Îlote du Paul 16°37′0.0″S 59°33′0.0″E / 16.61667°S 59.55°E / -16.61667; 59.55 (Îlote du Paul)
• Puits A Eau 16°39′0.0″S 59°34′0.0″E / 16.65°S 59.56667°E / -16.65; 59.56667 (Puits A Eau)
• Baleine Rocks 16°41′0.0″S 59°30′0.0″E / 16.68333°S 59.5°E / -16.68333; 59.5 (Baleine Rocks)
• Île Veronge (Verronge) 16°41′0.0″S 59°37′0.0″E / 16.68333°S 59.61667°E / -16.68333; 59.61667 (Île Veronge)
• Veronge Ilot 16°42′0.0″S 59°38′0.0″E / 16.7°S 59.63333°E / -16.7; 59.63333 (Veronge Ilot)
• Île Poulailer 16°44′0.0″S 59°46′0.0″E / 16.73333°S 59.76667°E / -16.73333; 59.76667 (Île Poulailer)
• Palm Islet 16°45′0.0″S 59°35′0.0″E / 16.75°S 59.58333°E / -16.75; 59.58333 (Palm Islet)
• Chaloupe 16°49′0.0″S 59°50′0.0″E / 16.81667°S 59.83333°E / -16.81667; 59.83333 (Chaloupe)
• Courson 16°48′0.0″S 59°30′0.0″E / 16.8°S 59.5°E / -16.8; 59.5 (Courson)
• Coco Island (île aux Cocos) 16°50′0.0″S 59°30′0.0″E / 16.83333°S 59.5°E / -16.83333; 59.5 (Coco Island) 0.5 km²

A number of unnamed islands and sand cays complete the Cargados. The total number of islands on the reef is close to 40.

Siren Island, Pearl Island (Île Perle), Frigate Island (Île Frégate) are west of the reef, while North Island (Île du Nord) is about 4 km Northeast of the northern tip of the reef.

Albatros Island, about 18 km north, is geographically a separate single coral island at location 16°15'S, 59°35'E.

Albatros Island is the highest (its highest point is 6 m above sea level) and the largest of the islands in the group, with an area of 1.01 km², followed by Raphael, Avocaré, Cocos Island and Île du Sud.

The main settlement is on Raphael, comprising a privately owned commercial fishing station (with a minimum of 35 resident employees), a coast guard and meteorological station (with eight residents in 1996). Smaller settlements exist on Avocaré, Cocos, and Sud; the settlement on Albatros was abandoned in 1988.

Coconut trees can be found on a few islands as well as bushes and grass.

The islands are covered with white granular sand from eroded coral, and a thick layer of guano can be found in most places. Sea turtles take advantage of the low population of the islands and lay eggs on their beaches. It's problematic how long this refuge will exist without international protection, as the Mauritius economy is among the fastest growing on earth. The price of sugar (Mauritius's main crop, introduced by the French; it represents 17% of Mauritius's exports) is dropping and tourism is filling the economic gap.