page_title: Archaeology of Bocas del Toro
section_title: Geographic Setting
hierarchical_section_title: Archaeology of Bocas del Toro / Geographic Setting
caption_attribution_description: English: The map shows the provinces and three comarcas with provincial status. The two comarcas that don't have provincial status (Kuna de Madungandí and Kuna de Waragandí) are not shown. All provincial and comarcal capitals are shown with a circled dot, with the exception of Unión Chocó (the capital of Emberá), which I was unable to find on any map to which I had access. Note that the position of Quebrada Guabo is approximate. All towns and cities with a population greater than 10,000 are shown on the map, unless in very close proximity to a larger town or city. Towns and cities with population greater than 50,000 are shown with their names in a larger size. Some of the provincial/comarcal capitals have a smaller population than 10,000 and have their names in italics. Outside of the Republic of Panama, only towns with a population larger than 50,000 are shown. The national capital is indicated with its name underlined.
context_page_description: Archaeology of Bocas del Toro, Panama: The province of Bocas del Toro in Panama has a rich history, beginning with the first European visitors: Christopher Columbus and his son Fernando in 1502 on Columbus’ fourth voyage to the New World. The area was visited frequently from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 18th century by privateers and buccaneers marauding Spanish colonial towns and the ships carrying gold to Europe. However little is known of the inhabitants of the region before the time of European contact. Archaeological research conducted since the middle of the 20th century has begun to illuminate the cultural history as well as development of societies in the region prior to Columbus arriving.
context_section_description: Bocas del Toro is one of ten provinces in the Republic of Panama, and is located in the western part of the country. It is bounded by the province of Chiriquí in the south, the province of Veraguas (including the Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca Comarca indígena) in the east, to the north is the Caribbean Sea and to the west is the Republic of Costa Rica. Bocas del Toro also refers to the archipelago which runs roughly northwest to southeast along the coast of the isthmus from the Seropta Peninsula to the Laguna de Chiriquí and includes the islands of Isla Colón, Isla Solarte, Isla Bastimentos, Isla San Cristóbal, Isla Popa, and Cayo Agua. The province is further divided into three districts: Chiriquí Grande, Changuinola, and Bocas del Toro. Major cities include Changuinola, Almirante, and Bocas del Toro or (Bocas Town) which is also the provincial capital and is located on Isla Colon.
caption: The nine provinces and three provincial-level comarcas of Panama
exif: {}