# The Missing Island Mexico Desperately Wants to Be Real Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFmMyMLuWIY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/eFmMyMLuWIY Generated: 2026-07-28T19:03:35.352+00:00 --- ## The Gist Bermeja is a phantom island in the Gulf of Mexico that vanished because it likely never existed outside of historical cartographic errors. Its official existence would grant Mexico exclusive economic zone access to billions of barrels of oil worth over a trillion dollars. ## Quick Overview Bermeja is a mythical island mapped in the Gulf of Mexico since 1540 that holds massive geopolitical and economic significance due to maritime boundary laws. Mexico spent years searching for the island via sonar, satellite, and aerial reconnaissance, only to find completely empty deep water. Under United Nations maritime law, an island requires permanent community habitation and economic independence to generate an exclusive economic zone, whereas mere rocks or low-tide elevations provide much smaller maritime boundaries. **Key Points:** - Bermeja is supposedly located about 100 miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico at coordinates 22 degrees 33 minutes north and 91 degrees 22 minutes west. - The existence of Bermeja would grant Mexico an exclusive economic zone containing an estimated 22.5 billion barrels of oil worth over 1.7 trillion dollars. - Spanish cartographer Alonso de Santa Cruz first published Bermeja in his 1540 work Islario General, describing it as a reddish island measuring about 80 square kilometers. - A 1775 Spanish survey failed to find any trace of Bermeja, indicating it may have been a copy-paste error from early mapmakers. - During oil boundary negotiations between the United States and Mexico in the early 2000s, Mexican authorities searched extensively for the missing island. - The National Autonomous University of Mexico conducted underwater sensing and aerial reconnaissance in 2009, confirming there is nothing above or below water at Bermeja's coordinates. - United Nations maritime law defines an island as a naturally formed area of land surrounded by water that is above water at high tide and capable of supporting human habitation. - Because Bermeja does not exist, Mexico lost billions in potential oil revenue and the mystery of the phantom island remains completely unresolved. ![Screenshot at 02:14: The massive financial calculation showing the 22.5 billion barrels of oil valued at over 1.7 trillion dollars that Mexico lost access to.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/eFmMyMLuWIY/00-02-14.jpg) **Context:** Maritime boundary treaties rely heavily on islands to extend a country's exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. When Mexico negotiated oil drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico with the United States, the location of outlying islands became a multi-billion dollar dispute. ## Detailed Analysis Bermeja first appeared on Spanish maps in 1540 and was documented in various official inventories up until the early 20th century. However, historical records clash because a 1775 Spanish survey explicitly noted no trace of the island. When the United States and Mexico negotiated maritime borders in the 2000s, Mexico desperately needed Bermeja to be real in order to expand its exclusive economic zone and claim rights to massive offshore oil reserves. The Mexican government funded expensive scientific expeditions utilizing sonar, satellite imagery, and aerial search aircraft. Every single search returned empty, revealing only deep water with no sandbars, tectonic shifts, or underwater formations. Without physical proof of the island, Mexico lost the legal basis to expand its oil territory, leaving the mystery of Bermeja as either a centuries-long cartographic error or an island lost to history. ### The Origin and Stakes of Bermeja The mythical island of Bermeja sits at the center of a massive financial and geopolitical dispute in the Gulf of Mexico. - Bermeja is allegedly located 100 miles north of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. - The name Bermeja simply translates from Spanish as reddish-brown, describing the color the island allegedly possessed. - If Bermeja exists, it expands Mexico's exclusive economic zone by 55 nautical miles and unlocks access to 22.5 billion barrels of oil worth over 1.7 trillion dollars. ![Screenshot at 00:29: The purported location of Bermeja Island in the Gulf of Mexico north of the Yucatan Peninsula.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/eFmMyMLuWIY/00-00-29.jpg) ### Historical Evidence and Discrepancies Historical maps show consistent documentation of Bermeja despite contradictory survey reports from early sailors. - Alonso de Santa Cruz published Bermeja in his 1540 global island catalog titled Islario General. - Early Spanish shipping logs describe the island as 80 square kilometers in size with a reddish appearance and a few trees. - A 1775 Spanish naval survey explicitly stated that sailors failed to find any trace of Bermeja, marking an early contradiction in the historical record. ![Screenshot at 02:48: The historical 1540 publication year of Alonso de Santa Cruz introducing Bermeja to cartography.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/eFmMyMLuWIY/00-02-48.jpg) ### United Nations Maritime Law on Islands The legal definition of an island under international law dictates what maritime territory a country can claim. - The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea grants countries an exclusive economic zone extending 200 nautical miles from their coastlines and islands. - An official island must be able to support permanent human habitation and provide independent economic materials from the mainland. - Rocks and low-tide elevations only grant 12 nautical miles of territorial sea and do not expand exclusive economic zones. ![Screenshot at 01:13: Text from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea outlining the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone rule.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/eFmMyMLuWIY/00-01-13.jpg) ### Mexico's Failed Search Expeditions Mexican authorities launched rigorous scientific expeditions to locate the missing island and secure their oil claims. - During 2000s border negotiations with the United States, the Mexican government funded extensive searches for Bermeja. - The National Autonomous University of Mexico deployed aircraft and underwater sensing devices to scour the listed coordinates. - Expedition teams found absolutely nothing above or below the water, confirming no landmass, sandbar, or underwater wreckage exists at the site. ![Screenshot at 05:43: News report detailing Mexico's failed search for the lost island using underwater sensors and aerial reconnaissance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/eFmMyMLuWIY/00-05-43.jpg)