Bocas del Toro Province
Encyclopedia : B : BO : BOC : Bocas del Toro Province
Bocas del Toro is a province of Panama. The capital is the city of Bocas del Toro, found on the island of Colon. The population of the province numbers some 89,300 people. It's extension is 8,745 kilometers and is formed by 9 principal islands. There are many plantation of plantains here, often called the oro verde or green gold of Central America.
Districts
District (Capital)
- Bocas del Toro (Bocas del Toro): This was established in 1855. It is composed of the capital, Bastimentos, Cauchero, Punta Laurel and Tierra Oscura. Its extension is 430 kilometers squared.
- Changuinola (Changuinola): It was created in 1903. It is composed of Changuinola (capital), Almirante, Guabito, Teribe, Valle del Risco, El Empalme and Las Tablas. Its surface is 208 kilometers squared.
- Chiriquí Grande (Chiriquí Grande): It was created in 1970. It is composed of Chiriqui Grande (capital), Miramar, Punte Peña, Punta Robalo and Rambala. Its surface is 4,005 kilometers squared.
History
Christopher Columbus explored here 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. In the times of the union with Colombia, the 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 2 districts, Bocas del Toro and Crimamola. Four years later, in became into the same division as before. In 1970, B. del Toro district became Changuinola, eliminated the district Bastimentos and added 3 new districts to what it is today. The extensions of the districts changed in 1997 when the reservation Ngobe Bugle was made.Tourism
There are many pretty beaches here like El Istmito, Boca de Drago, Puss Head, Playa Paunch and Playa Buff. The island of Bastimentos is also ideal for surfing. La Virgen de la Gruta is an area for people who love ecotourism. There is also a nearby cave with 4 species of bats and this area is great for bird watching. There are several different boat tour companies that offer all-day tours and a plethora of restaurants--from roadside cafe's to waterfront bistros--- [Bocas del Toro Restaurant and Bar Hopping] is also fun.
External links
- Tavel and Tourism
- [myBocas - Features photos, information and articles on Bocas del Toro, Panama.]
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.