The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela (Spanish Dependencias Federales de Venezuela) encompass most of Venezuela's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Venezuela, excluding those islands which form the State of Nueva Esparta. These islands, with a total area of 342 square kilometres, are sparsely populated - according to the preliminary results of the 2011 Census only 2,155 people live there permanently, with another hundred from Margarita Island who live there seasonally to engage in fishing. Local government is under the authority of the mayor of Caracas.