Bocas del Toro Province

Bocas del Toro (Template:IPA; meaning "Mouths of the Bull") is a province of Panama. Its area is 4,643.9 square kilometers, comprising the mainland and nine main islands.<ref>Somos Panama Template:Webarchive Retrieved: 15 March 2011</ref> The province consists of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Bahía Almirante (Almirante Bay), Chiriquí Lagoon, and adjacent mainland. The capital is the city of Bocas del Toro (or Bocas Town) on Isla Colón (Colón Island). Other major cities or towns include Almirante and Changuinola. The province has a population of 159,228 as of 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Panama 2010 Census Template:Webarchive Retrieved: 24 May 2011</ref>

Christopher Columbus and his crew first visited the area in 1502.<ref>Template:Cite web Retrieved: 15 March 2011</ref> Bocas del Toro borders the Caribbean Sea to the north, Limón Province of Costa Rica and the Naso Tjër Di Comarca to the west, Chiriquí Province to the south, and Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca to the east. The Río Sixaola forms part of the border with Costa Rica. A newly constructed bridge spans the river between Guabito and Sixaola, Costa Rica.Template:Citation needed The bridge is a border crossing used by tourists going between destinations in Bocas del Toro and Costa Rica.

The province contains two national parks, Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park and La Amistad International Park.<ref name=frommers>Template:Cite book</ref> The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute operates a research station on Colón Island just northwest of Bocas Town.<ref>Bocas del Toro Research Station Retrieved: 14 June 2009.</ref> There are many banana plantations in Bocas del Toro, often called the oro verde, or green gold of Central America.<ref>Template:Cite web Retrieved: 15 March 2011</ref>

History

Christopher Columbus explored the area in 1502 while searching for the passage to the Pacific Ocean. Columbus's original name for the island was Isla del Drago. In colonial times, Bocas del Toro was part of Veraguas. It was originally part of Costa Rica until, in one of many territorial disputes, Colombia took control of it with armed forces. The then government made a reservation called Bocas del Toro in 1834. In 1850, Bocas del Toro became a part of Chiriqui, then was separated from it and became part of Colon. On November 16, 1903, Bocas del Toro was separated from Colon and became its own province. In 1941, Bocas del Toro was divided into two districts, Bocas del Toro and Crimamola. Four years later, it became part of the same division as before. In 1970, Bocas del Toro district became Changuinola, the district of Bastimentos was eliminated, and three new districts were added, making the province what it is today.Template:Citation needed The districts' areas changed in 1997 when the Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca was created<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and again in 2020, when the Naso Tjër Di Comarca was established,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which had been proposed since 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Demarcation of indigenous territory is continuing within the province.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The province is the home of the unique Bocas del Toro Creole of English.

Administrative divisions

Bocas del Toro Province is divided into four districts and 30 corregimientos.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 8 June 2015 the new Almirante District was created, after splitting out from Changuinola District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District	Establishment	Surface area	Template:Center	Cabecera (Seat)
Almirante District	2015	*	Puerto Almirante, Barriada Guaymí, Barrio Francés, Nance de Risco, Valle del Risco, Valle de Aguas Arriba	Puerto Almirante
Bocas del Toro District	1855	430 km2	Bocas del Toro, Bastimentos, Cauchero, Punta Laurel, Tierra Oscura	Bocas del Toro
Changuinola District	1903	3,995 km2	Changuinola, Barriada 4 de Abril, Cochigro, El Empalme, El Silencio, Finca 30, Finca 6, Finca 60, Guabito, La Gloria, Las Delicias, Las Tablas, Teribe	Changuinola
Chiriquí Grande District	1970	207 km2	Chiriquí Grande, Bajo Cedro, Miramar, Punte Peña, Punta Robalo, Rambala	Chiriquí Grande

^* The area of Almirante District is included in the figure quoted for Changuinola District, from which Almirante was divided.

Geography

Climate

Template:Weather boxBocas del Toro is a travel destination that is most known for its vibrant culture, beaches, rainforests, and surfing. It is estimated that 95% of the economy in Bocas del Toro is based on tourism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The most popular destinations in Bocas del Toro are the Zapatilla Islands, the Bastimentos National Marine Park, Starfish Beach, Red Frog Beach, Bluff Beach, and Hospital Point.

The High-Season for tourism in Bocas del Toro is from November to April, which also coincides with the dry season as well as the being the best surf season. The best months to visit Bocas del Toro for dry weather are January, February, March, May, September, and October. These are statistically the driest months of the year. However, dry weather is also common in June, August, November, and even the wettest month of the year, December, can see weeks without rain.

Common activities in Bocas del Toro include surfing, scuba diving, exploring bat caves, learning about the local indigenous cultures, cacao farm tours, hiking, and nightlife.

Bocas del Toro is becoming famous globally for the abundance of newly constructed and affordable overwater bungalow hotels.Template:Citation needed Over the next decade, it is predicted to be a competing location to the Maldives and Tahiti for overwater bungalows.

Protected areas

The national parks in the province are Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park (Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos), which contains most of Isla Bastimentos and some smaller nearby islands and extends into the large nature preserve at the Red Frog Beach Island Resort,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and La Amistad International Park (Parque Internacional La Amistad), which spans the Costa Rica–Panama border.<ref name=frommers /> Bocas del Toro contains most of the Panamanian section of the park, which covers Template:Convert. The Costa Rican section of the park covers Template:Convert.<ref name="unesco">UNESCO La Amistad International Park overview Retrieved: 14 June 2009.</ref> La Amistad International Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.<ref name="unesco" />

Gallery

Bocas del Toro

Red poison dart frog Red poison dart frog, Bastimentos

File:Amanecer Bocas del Toro.jpg Sunset in Bocas del Toro

External links

• Paraiso for Sale 2011 documentary about US immigration to Bocas, and the attendant impact on locals and indigenous peoples
• Let's Talk about Culture – Bocas del Toro The Official Portal of Tourism
• Official Bocas del Toro Travel Website