CULEBRA, the smaller of two islands lying in the Virgin Passage immediately east of Porto Rico and known as the Islas de Passaje. It is about 18 m. distant from Cape San Juan and rises from the same submerged plateau with the larger islands of the Antilles. Its extreme dimensions are 3 by 6 m., and its surface is low and comparatively uniform, which gives the pre vailing winds an unbroken sweep across it. For this reason the rainfall is limited to a short season, and the population is com pelled to store rainwater in cisterns for drinking purposes. Its soil is fertile, and cattle, poultry, vegetables and bananas are produced. The island has been a dependency of Porto Rico since 1879, when its colonization was formally undertaken, and it is now in the municipality of Culebra. In 1902 the American naval authorities selected the Playa Sardinas harbour on the south side of Culebra as a rendezvous of the fleet and marine encamp ments were set up on shore. The strategic position of the island as a naval station has given it considerable importance. Pop. 1,315; (1920) 839;