Spanish Virgin Islands

Spanish Virgin Islands (in yellow). Numerous very small islands are not shown on this map.

The Spanish Virgin Islands, formerly called the Passage Islands and also known as the Puerto Rican Virgin Islands, are part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, located east of the main island of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican tourist literature uses the name Spanish Virgin Islands, but most general maps and atlases do not use this name.^{[citation needed]} As part of Puerto Rico they are a territory of the United States, but they are not part of the United States Virgin Islands, which lie to their east.

As part of Puerto Rico, they belonged to Spain before the Spanish-American War in 1898. Spanish remains the predominant language, although English is also common.

Most general maps and atlases do not treat the group as part of the Virgin Islands archipelago.^{[citation needed]} However, they are geographically part of the Virgin Islands chain. They are closer to St. Thomas than St. Thomas is to St. Croix, which are both part of the United States Virgin Islands.

The principal islands of the group are Culebra and Vieques, with multiple associated smaller islands and islets. Other Spanish Virgin Islands lie closer to the PR shore. These Include: Icacos Island, Cayo Lobos, Cayo Diablo, Palominos Island, Palominitos, Island, Isla de Ramos, Isla Pineiro, Cayo Lobos. Near Culebra there is Cayo de Luis Pena (named after the second owner).

Isla Pineiro South Coast view from a rock

Culebras smaller island Cayo Norte is part of Culebra National Wildlife Refuge. Much of Vieques is part of Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, formerly a U.S. Navy facility.