Vieques is an island-municipality that lies about eight miles off Puerto Rico's eastern coast. Roughly 20 miles long and four miles wide, it is the larger of the two islands that form the Spanish Virgin Islands, together with Culebra. The municipality is organized into seven barrios, and its historic and administrative center is Isabel Segunda on the north coast. Its residents, known as viequenses, number roughly 8,000. The island's colonial-era settlement revolved around sugar, and its economy later moved through sugarcane, cattle, and fishing. For much of the twentieth century, the United States Navy controlled a large portion of the island, using it for training and munitions testing. After decades of protest over the environmental and health consequences, the Navy withdrew in 2003, and much of its former land was transferred for public use, including areas set aside for ecological preservation. Since the Navy's departure, Vieques has reoriented its economy around tourism and conservation. Mosquito Bay, a sheltered bioluminescent bay on the south shore, draws visitors from around the world and has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the brightest bioluminescent bay on Earth. Quiet beaches, snorkeling, and open coastal terrain define the island's low-key, nature-centered character. Vieques is not connected to the main island by bridge. Residents and visitors travel by passenger ferry from Ceiba — built on the site of the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base — or by short flights through the island's airport. The result is a community set apart from the pace of the San Juan metro area, with a small-town rhythm, limited development, and a strong local identity shaped by its recent history.