Marquesas Keys

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NOAA Nautical chart of the Marquesas Keys: part of Chart No. 11439 "Sand Key to Rebecca Shoal"

Satellite Image of the Marquesas Keys

The Marquesas Keys, not to be confused with the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) in the Pacific Ocean, form an uninhabited island group about 30 miles (50 km) west of Key West, 4 miles (6 km) in diameter, and overgrown by mangrove. They are an unincorporated area of Monroe County, Florida and belong to the Lower Keys Census County Division. They are protected as part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. The Marquesas were used for target practice by the military as recent as 1980.

The total area, including the lagoon, measures 29.37 km². The land area, according to the United States Census Bureau, is 6.58 km² (exactly 6,579,703 m²), the water area 0.17 km² (165,744 m²), with a combined area 6,75 km² (6,745,447 m²), whereby water areas with connection to the open sea are not counted, but only small landlocked lakes on the Keys. The group is located at coordinates 24°34′19″N, 82°07′10″W.

The islands are part of the Florida Keys, separated from the rest of the Florida Keys, which are further east, by the Boca Grande Channel, which is 6 miles (10 km) wide until Boca Grande Key, the westernmost of the Mule Keys. Only the Dry Tortugas are further west, 36 miles (60 km) west of the Marquesas Keys.

The central lagoon is called Mooney Harbor. The northernmost key is the largest and has a strip of sandy beach free of mangrove. In the past it was known as "Entrance Key". It surrounds the lagoon in the north and east. Adjoining in the south are smaller keys such as Gull Keys, Mooney Harbor Key, and finally about four unnamed keys in the southwest corner of the island. Older charts show that two of these keys once were named "Button Island" and "Round Island" [1].

Six miles (10 km) west of the Marquesas Keys is Rebecca Shoal.

The islands are best known for their excellent sport fishing.

[edit] See also

Key West National Wildlife Refuge

[edit] References

Marquesas Keys: Blocks 3042 and 3043, Census Tract 9725, Monroe County, Florida United States Census Bureau

[edit] External links

v • d • e Florida Keys

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Upper keys	Key Largo (island) • Key Largo (CDP) • North Key Largo (CDP) • Tavernier (CDP) • Plantation Key (island) • Plantation Key (former CDP) • Windley Key • Upper Matecumbe Key • Indian Key • Lignumvitae Key • Lower Matecumbe Key • Village of Islamorada

Middle keys	Craig Key • Fiesta Key • Long Key • City of Layton • Conch Key • Duck Key (CDP) • Grassy Key, Crawl Key • Long Point Key • Fat Deer Key • Key Vaca • City of Marathon • City of Key Colony Beach • Boot Key • Knight's Key

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Outlying Islands	Mule Keys • Ballast Key • Marquesas Keys • Dry Tortugas • Tortugas Bank

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Other Topics	Monroe County • Conch Republic • Overseas Highway • Overseas Railroad • Card Sound Bridge • Seven Mile Bridge • Bahia Honda Rail Bridge • Theater of the Sea • Hurricane Wilma • Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 • Key Deer • Ocean Reef Club • Key lime pie • Florida Keys Keynoter • Key West Citizen

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Monroe County, Florida

County seat: Key West

Cities	Key Colony Beach \| Key West \| Layton \| Marathon

Villages	Islamorada

CDPs	Big Coppitt Key \| Big Pine Key \| Cudjoe Key \| Duck Key \| Key Largo \| North Key Largo \| Stock Island \| Tavernier

Communities	Bay Point \| Flamingo \| Key Haven \| Perky