Photos | Earth as art
Isla Espíritu Santo and Isla Partida, Mexico
Credit: NASA
Isla Espíritu Santo and Isla Partida are islands in the Gulf of California, located off the coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Isla Partida is the northern island of the group, which is about 32 kilometers long and 10 kilometers across at the widest point. Depending on the tides, the islands are connected by a narrow isthmus or separated by a shallow channel. Protected as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve, the islands are made up of alternating layers of black lava and pink volcanic ash. On the eastern side, steep cliffs drop sheerly into the water. The western side of the islands is digitate, or fingerlike, with a series of rocky points separated by deep, shallow bays. Thin, xeric vegetation gives the island its greenish color in this 2002 Terra image, while bare ground appears pinkish orange. Small mangrove swamps tucked into the west coast bays appear bright green. The creamy-white beaches are composed of fine-grained, coralline sand.
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