Isla Nublar

Isla Nublar is the fictional island on which dinosaurs were held in Jurassic Park. It was said to be 120 miles off the coast of Costa Rica. Isla Nublar was also the 'showroom' for Jurassic Park (that is, significant bio-engineering did not take place there; rather, it is simply the place where the dinosaurs are displayed for visitors).

It is sometimes referred to as Site A, in contrast to Isla Sorna (Site B).

Name
Isla Nublar is intended to mean "Island of Clouds" in Spanish. Nublar is not a Spanish noun, but a verb ('to cloud'). Correct Spanish would be Isla de las Nubes, Isla Nublada or Isla Nubosa.

Geology
Isla Nublar was not considered a true island; rather, it was described as a seamount, a volcanic upthrusting of rock from the ocean floor; however, that description does not quite fit. The island of Hawaii was formed the same way. The heat that is still produced from the old volcano provides geothermal power to the park's electricity generating systems; because of this the island is still hot in some areas and often even hot under foot. The island lies covered in fog due to this heat and the prevailing currents.

The climate is tropical, with dense jungles and two rivers running across the island to the East & Northern Coasts. The island is described in the novels as being tear drop shaped, thicker at the north than at the south.

The island measures 8 miles long and 3 miles wide at the widest point, making about a total area size of about 22 square miles. There also is a large lake to the north and massive aviary toward the center of the island. The highest peak of the island is roughly about 2,100 feet. The island is close to, but not a part of an island chain which according to the movie,was originally called "Las Cinco Mujeres" ("The Five Women"), but, in the story, in recent years danger from the dinosaurs gave the islands a bad reputation among fishermen and the name was distorted to "Las Cinco Muertes" ("The Five Deaths"). Isla Sorna is a member of it. But another source says that they were called "Las Cinco Muertes" from the beginning. The trailer's map in the second film labels the five islands as Isla Mazanceros, Isla Muerta, Isla Sorna, Isla Tacano, and Isla Pema. The map does not show the location of Isla Nublar, implying it may be closer to Panama than the island chain.

Jurassic Park
On Isla Nublar is Jurassic Park, a zoo-like attraction filled with genetically engineered dinosaurs created by John Hammond and the InGen corporation. Hammond intended the island to be visited by millions from around the world, bringing delight to children in addition to impressive profits. However, while he was showing the island to people whom he intended to endorse it, the dinosaurs got loose and terrorized the park. According to the novel, the island was then chemical-bombed by the fictional Costa Rican Air Force; in the movie, its fate is unknown. The Nublar animals may well have been similarly exterminated in the movie storyline. This is hinted at in a cut scene from The Lost World: Jurassic Park where new InGen leader Peter Ludlow, Hammond's nephew discusses the cost of having to demolish Jurassic Park. However, there is the chance that several dinosaurs such as Compsognathus may have survived the extermination.

The Lysine Contingency may also have taken place in the possible demise of the dinosaurs. The genetically altered dinosaurs relied on the dosage of lysine from the caretakers of Jurassic Park, as a contingency plan in the case that the dinosaurs would escape.

The Park
The hub of the park was the Jurassic Park Visitors Center, which seen from the outside had stone walls with fossil designs engraved into it, flowing water ducts framing both sides of the steps and had a thatched roof. The park was separated into several zones and dinosaur pens.

Dinosaurs and other extinct animals featured
The park showcases dinosaurs, which have been recreated from dinosaur DNA found in mosquitoes trapped in fossilized amber that sucked their blood millions of years ago. The DNA was damaged, so to fill the genetic gaps, amphibian DNA was used.

Film
These are dinosaurs and other extinct animals confirmed to be on Isla Nublar in the movies:
 * Baryonyx (From Prop Brochure Map reprinted in the JP Souvenir Magazine)
 * Brachiosaurus
 * Compsognathus (Confirmed as a Dinosaur of Jurassic Park from Jurassic Park: Exhibit in 1994/1995 and appearing in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III)
 * Dilophosaurus
 * Gallimimus
 * Herrerasaurus (From Prop Brochure Map reprinted in the JP Souvenir Magazine)
 * Metriacanthosaurus (seen on embryo tubes)
 * Parasaurolophus
 * Proceratosaurus (seen on embryo tubes)
 * Pteranodon (suggested to be on Isla Nublar by the slideshow and voiceover in the lunch meeting scene, as well as mural in the Operations Center from The Lost World: Jurassic Park depicting a completed Isla Nublar. It appears in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III.)
 * Segisaurus (From Prop Brochure Map reprinted in the JP Souvenir Magazine)
 * Stegosaurus (seen on embryo tubes and appearing in The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
 * Triceratops
 * Tyrannosaurus
 * Velociraptor (Velociraptor pen is more enclosed and guarded than other dinosaur pens, and has its own power system because the raptors are very dangerous)
 * Extinct plants are also seen briefly in the movie.
 * Extinct birds and insects are heard in the movie.

Novel
Dinosaurs and other extinct animals confirmed to be on Isla Nublar in the novel:


 * Apatosaurus (Camarasaurus in some editions)
 * Cearadactylus (Pteranodon in some editions)
 * Dilophosaurus
 * Euoplocephalus
 * Hadrosaurus
 * Hypsilophodon
 * Maiasaura
 * Microceratops (Callovosaurus in some editions)
 * Othnielia
 * Procompsognathus
 * Stegosaurus
 * Styracosaurus
 * Triceratops
 * Tyrannosaurus
 * Velociraptor antirrhopus (Kept separate in a high security area due to its ferocity)


 * Later editions of the novel list Microceratops in place of Callovosaurus on the population tables presented in the book. Microceratops, however, is seen by characters in the park whereas Callovosaurus is not.
 * Later editions of the novel use Camarasaurus in place of Apatosaurus, although Apatosaurus remains on the population tables presented in the book.
 * A dinosaur presumed to be a Coelurosaurus had just begun the DNA extraction procedure at the time the story takes place.
 * In addition to dinosaurs and pterosaurs, several prehistoric plants and at least one species of insect (a giant dragonfly, perhaps Meganeura) were also resurrected from extinction for the park.