San Andrés: History

Pre-20th-Century History

The first inhabitants of the islands were probably a group of Dutch colonists who made their home on Providencia toward the end of the 16th century. In 1631, however, they were expelled by the English who effectively colonized the islands and brought in black slaves from Jamaica to cultivate tobacco and cotton. The Spanish, irate at the English success on the islands, unsuccessfully invaded the archipelago in 1635.

The islands provided convenient shelter for pirates waiting to sack Spanish galleons bound for home which were laden with gold and riches. In 1670, legendary Welsh pirate Henry Morgan established his base on Providencia. From here, he raided both Panama and Santa Marta. Legend has it that his treasures are still hidden on the island.

By the early 19th century, Spain had established control of the islands, administering the new territory from Cartagena for a time.

Modern History

Shortly after independence, Colombia laid claim to the islands. Nicaragua, however, fiercely disputed its right to do so. The issue was eventually settled by a treaty in 1928 which confirmed Colombia's sovereignty over the islands. Geographic isolation kept their unique English character virtually intact, though things started to change when a flight service connected the islands to the mainland in the 1950s. In 1954, a government plan to make the islands a duty-free zone brought with it tourism, commerce and entrepreneurs.

In the early 1990s, the local government introduced restrictions on migration to the islands in order to slow the rampant influx of people moving there and preserve the local culture and identity. Still, Colombian mainlanders account for two-thirds of San Andrés' population.

Recent History

The tourist and commercial boom has caused San Andrés to lose much of its original character - it's now a blend of Latin American and English-Caribbean culture. Providencia has preserved much more of its colonial culture, even though tourism is increasingly impacting on the local lifestyle. In 2000, the entire archipelago was declared a Unesco Seaflower Biosphere Reserve.

Although the political status of San Andrés and Providencia is unlikely to change, Nicaragua continues to press the issue of its sovereignty over the islands at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The latest chapter in this saga saw Bogotá threatening military action if Nicaragua's oil prospectors crept into Colombian maritime areas. In 2004, a Colombian frigate and submarine were sent to patrol the maritime borders, but analysts put the naval exercises down to mere 'saber-rattling'.

In 2005, Hurricane Beta hit Providencia island, causing damage to many village homes.

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