Location and Size

Cocos Island first appears on a world map in 1542 as the Ysle de Coques. It was discovered in 1526 by the Spanish navigator Johan Cabeças. It is located in the central eastern area of the Pacific Ocean, facing the Gulf of Panama, in an area the Spanish called the South Sea during the exploration and colonization.

Its northern boundary is Punta Agujas, at latitude 5º 33' 26" north; the southern boundary is Cape Dampier at 5º 30' 06" north; it is bordered on the west by Cape Lionel, 87º 05' 46" west, and on the east by Cape Atrevido, at 87º 01' 47" west.

The closest point on the American continent is located 532 km. southwest of Cocos Island at Cape Blanco on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. The Pinta (Abingdon) Island on the Galapagos archipelago, is located 681 km south, and Malpelo Island (Colombia) at a distance of 630 km. Cocos Island has 23.85 sq. km. of land area and 1997 sq. km. of protected marine ecosystems. It measures 7.6 km. long by 4.4 km. wide.

Location and Size | Geology and Morphology | Oceanography | Climate | Hidrology