What is Isla de la Juventud?
{{Infobox country | conventional_long_name = Isla de la Juventud | image_coat = Coat of arms of the Special Municipality of Isla de la Juventud.svg | symbol_type = Symbol | largest_settlement = [[Nueva Gerona]] | largest_settlement_type = settlement | demonym = Islanders | area_km2 = 2,237 | population_estimate = 86,559 {{increase}} | HDI = 0.832 | today = '''[[Cuba]]''' }} [[Image:Coat of arms of the Special Municipality of Isla de la Juventud.svg|right|200px]] The '''Isle of Youth''' ({{lang-es|Isla de la Juventud}}) is the largest [[Cuba]]n [[island]] after Cuba itself. It is the sixth-largest island in the [[West Indies]]. The island has an area of {{convert|3056|km2|abbr=on}} and is {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} southwest of mainland Cuba. It is across the [[Gulf of Batabanó]]. The island is almost directly south of [[Havana]] and [[Pinar del Río province|Pinar del Río]]. Because of its superficial extension, population and for its economic characteristics, it is considered to be a Special Municipality. It is therefore not a part of any province. The Isle of Youth is administered directly by the central government of Cuba. The island is the largest of the 350 in the [[Canarreos Archipelago]] (''{{lang|es|Archipiélago de los Canarreos}}''). It has an estimated population of 100,000. The capital and largest city is [[Nueva Gerona]] in the north. The second-largest and oldest city is [[Santa Fe, Cuba|Santa Fe]] in the interior. Other communities are Columbia, Mac Kinley, Santa Bárbara, Cuchilla Alta, Punta del Este, Sierra de Caballos and Sierra de Casas. The island was called the '''Isle of Pines''' (''{{lang|es|Isla de Pinos}}'') before 1978. ==History== Little is known of the [[pre-Columbian]] history of the island, though a cave complex near the Punta del Este beach preserves 235 [[Cave art|ancient drawings]] made by the native population. The island first became known to Europeans during [[Christopher Columbus]]