The Pontine Islands form an archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, lying off the coast of the Bay of Gaeta, they cover an area of about 12 sq km with a population of about 4000, that greatly increases during the summer months due to the large number of tourists. The archipelago is comprised of six major islands: Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone, Gavi, Ventotene and Santo Stefano.