Chira Island

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Chira Island is located in Central America, and is the largest island within mainland Costa Rica (Cocos Island is the largest island, located 600km off the Pacific Coast). It is located at the upper end of the Gulf of Nicoya, an extensive inlet of sea water that is the result of a geological fault that has caused the land to submerge, leaving exposed only the tops of what were formerly low hills. These are the various islands that dot the gulf and include Chira Island itself.

Three villages make up the bulk of the population of Chira Island, locate along the Northern edge of the island, from the West end to the East end. The eastern end of the island is dominated by mangrove swamps.

Approximately 4,000 people live on the island and the main economic activity is fishing. Due to the reliance on marine resources and alternative industries being limited in number, significant pressure has been put on the island's natural resources. Due to this, a project has been developed to establish a bank of pianguas (Anadara tuberculosa and Anadara similis), a kind of oyster for artisan fishing, in order to create a commercially viable resource for long term economic development. Additionally attempts have been made to encourage various activities related with tourism, primarily using the Island's natural and geographical resources, such as the mangrove swamps and the Tempisque River, as well as the local culture.