Could this be the Smallest Meeting Place in The World?

It’s unlikely that you’ve ever heard of Santa Cruz del Islote, but it could just be one of the most fascinating places on the planet. Located two hours off the coast of Colombia, it is a part of the Archipelago of San Bernardo and has a tiny landmass of just .012 square kilometres.

Despite its miniscule size, the island is home to a whopping 1,200 people, making it the most densely inhabited place in the world. Despite being surrounded by the bluest waters, there is no beach, no swimming pools; in fact, there’s hardly anything on the island at all.

A mere five hours of electricity each day may sound like hell on earth to most of us, but the people of the island don’t see it that was, saying life is “calm and delightful,” with crime practically non-existent and doors never locked.  Community spirit on the island is abundant, yet the only public meeting place on Santa Cruz del Islote is a small central square which is half the size of a tennis court. Could this be one of the smallest meeting places in the world? Most likely, especially considering the size of the population!

The island is made up of ninety houses, two shops, one restaurant, one school, and has now begun to extend structurally onto the water. When a resident of the island dies, they are not buried on Santa Cruz del Islote as there is simply no space, so instead they are transported by boat to a neighbouring ‘graveyard’ island.

Despite the island’s limited space and facilities, it sounds like everyone who lives there adores their time there, calling it a “glorious life.”