Problem 16 (1998 AJHSME)

Problems 15, 16, and 17 all refer to the following:

In the very center of the Irenic Sea lie the beautiful Nisos Isles. In $1998$ the number of people on these islands is only $200$, but the population triples every $25$ years. Queen Irene has decreed that there must be at least $1.5$ square miles for every person living in the Isles. The total area of the Nisos Isles is $24,900$ square miles.

Estimate the year in which the population of Nisos will be approximately $6,000$.