It is located in the bahía de Santa María, on the west coast of the state of Sinaloa, southwest of Saliaca Island, separated by an area of shallow water.

It is part of the bahía de Santa María complex, and there is a great variety of marine life, migratory birds and even whales.

The island of Altamura is rich in fine woods, drinking water and pastures: some cattle farms in the Culiacan district have populated it with their livestock.

[5] In particular, on an ancient map dated 1579 by Abraham Ortelius, occurs the name Atamirato which might be a pre-existing name given by the Indigenous people of Mexico or it may have derived from Altamira, which was also common as a surname of nobles.

The work Bibliothecae Dominicanae (1677) by Italian Dominican Ambrogio del Giudice (nicknamed "Altamura") may also have played a role in the current name of the island since the book provided accounts of some religious people who evangelized or lived in Mexico.