The United States, Colombia, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the Honduras have all claimed sovereignty over these two small isolated, and uninhabited, groups of reefs, islands and islets. The US administers them as unincorporated United States territories, and Colombia administers them as part of their department of San Andrés and Providencia, and has a lighthouse on Serranilla. Nicaragua continues to passionately fight the sovereignty issue in the International Court of Justice, with some 21st century cases taken against Colombia, Honduras has since dropped their claims, and Jamaica has not pushed the issue seriously in the past few decades, due to a joint deal with Colombia which allows them to exploit the resources in the area. Most of the sovereignty claims arise from nations wishing to exploit the Law Of The Sea, which grants Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) for 200 nautical miles from it's coast.

The United States of America claims sovereignty over this uninhabited island, and they currently control it, but Haiti has disputed this sovereignty since 1801. Formerly a mine for a popular fertilizer in the 19th century - Guano phosphate - the 5 sq km (2 sq mile) island is now a US National Wildlife Refuge.