Roncador Bank
Colombian atoll in the western Caribbean Sea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roncador Bank is a mostly submerged atoll with several sandy cays. It lies in the west Caribbean Sea off the coast of Central America.
Roncador Bank | |
  Location within Colombia  Location within the Caribbean | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 13°34′N 80°04′W |
| Administration | |
Geography
It is about 15 by 6 kilometers in size, with an area of 65 km2 composed mostly of lagoon.[1] It is in the northern area lies Roncador Cay. It also has a small coral reef.[2]
History
Initially claimed by the United States under the Guano Islands Act of 1856, the atoll was ceded by the United States to Colombia on September 17, 1981, as the result of the Vásquez-Saccio Treaty (signed in 1972).[3]
In 1894, the USS Kearsarge was shipwrecked on Roncador Bank.[4]
There are several dilapidated houses on it built by American troops during the Cuban Missile Crisis.[citation needed]
Lighthouse
An old, disused lighthouse is at its northern end. A new lighthouse has been operating since 1977.[citation needed]
