Pearl Islands
The Pearl Islands (Spanish Archipelago de las Perlas, Islas de las Perlas is also common) are an archipelago of 227 islands in the south of the Gulf of Panama. They are located near the coast in the Pacific Ocean and have an area of approximately 332 square kilometers on. The largest islands are Isla del Rey ( 239.22 km ²), Isla de San José ( 44.01 km ²), Isla Pedro Gonzalez ( 14.63 km ²), Isla Viveros (6.29 km ²), Isla Caña ( 5.09 km ²), Isla Saboga (2.94 km ²), Isla Casaya (2.86 km ²), Isla Bayoneta (2.70 km ²), Isla Chapera (1.86 km ²), Isla San Telmo (1.62 km ²), Isla Contadora (1.19 km ²), Isla Gibraleon (1.12 km ²). The other islands have an area of level to less than a square kilometer (100 acres ). The archipelago is part of Panama, where it is located in the province of Panamá and the district Balboa equivalent. Only some of the islands are inhabited, as the center are the two largest islands of San José and Isla del Rey, to whom there are airfields.
The Pearl Islands are of volcanic origin, on some there are, however, sources of fresh water. There is a typical rainforest, diverse flora and fauna, the fishing grounds in the vicinity of the islands are considered to be rich in species. On the larger islands such as Isla del Rey, San José, Pedro Gonzales and Contadora is a well-developed tourism infrastructure, the archipelago is a popular destination for divers. In addition, it is often hit by cruise ships and holiday guests, mainly from North America, haunted, as it is known for its wide sandy beaches.
The name originates from the Pearl Islands Indians living there earlier, which dived for pearl oysters and operated trade with them. Attracted by the wealth of the island group, commanded the Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa, who reached the Pacific coast in September 1513 during an expedition to conquer the island. On August 10, 1515, responsible for the region governor Pedrarias Davila gave the order to rob them and to occupy. The Spanish conquerors went with brutal severity to work and exterminated during the course of the short fights the entire Indian tribe from.
For several years, the group of islands remained uninhabited, were settled to 1518 slaves to the management of fisheries and diving for pearl oysters on the islands. In the following centuries, the islands also offered increasingly escaped slaves and outlaws hideout and were considered pirates hideout for English and French buccaneers who hunted on Spanish ships. The Contadora Island (Spanish to German: The accountant ) so got its name from the numerous hiding places for loot.
Since the 1960s, the archipelago is developed for tourists, mainly from North American travel agencies.
Set in an estate of Contadora Island Jimmy Carter signed in 1977, as President of the United States, the so-called Panama Canal Treatment in which the United States ceded its sovereignty over the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama. After the island of the Contadora Group, founded in 1983 continues named, a consortium of foreign ministers of Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela with the goal to resolve political conflicts in some Central American small states.
List of populated Pearl Islands
F1 map with all coordinates: OSM, Google and Bing