| Con Dao Huyện Côn Đảo |
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| An aerial view of the main island | |
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Con Dao
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Vietnam |
| Region | South East |
| Province | Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province |
| Time zone | UTC + 7 (UTC+7) |
The Con Dao Islands (Vietnamese: Côn Đảo) are an archipelago of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, in southeastern Vietnam, and a district of this province.
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Situated at about 185 km (115 mi) from Vung Tau and 230 km (143 mi) from Ho Chi Minh City, the group includes 16 mountainous islands and islets. The total land area reaches 75.15 km² and the local population is about 5,000.
The island group is served by Co Ong Airport.
On June 16, 1702, the English East India Company founded a settlement on the island of Pulo Condor (Poulo Condore) off the south coast of southern Vietnam, and on March 2, 1705, the garrison and settlement were destroyed.
The largest island is Côn Sơn Island (also known as Con Lon Island), famous for its prison built by the French colonial government.
Many of the islands were given protected status in 1984. In 1984, they became a national park, Côn Đảo National Park, which was subsequently enlarged in 1998. Endangered species protected within the park include the hawksbill turtle, the green turtle and the dugong. Ecosystems represented in the park include seagrass meadow, mangrove and coral reefs.
Côn Đảo National Park is working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Vietnam to further protection in the marine areas, with programs to establish a Marine Protected Area that protects coral reefs, seagrass beds and species, while also developing sustainable nature-based ecotourism. The island's management is strongly geared towards sustainable use, hoping to learn from previous experiences in Vietnam and the region to balance development with conservation.
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