Chiriquí Province

Chiriquí Province
provincia de Chiriqui
Province

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates (Seat of Government): 8°26′N 82°26′W / 8.433°N 82.433°WCoordinates: 8°26′N 82°26′W / 8.433°N 82.433°W
Country Panama
Founded May 26, 1849
Capital David
Area
 • Total 6,490.9 km2 (2,506.2 sq mi)
Highest elevation 3,477 m (11,407 ft)
Lowest elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2010 census)
 • Total 416,873
 • Density 64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone EDT (UTC-5)
ISO 3166 code PA-4
Gini (2007) 32.9 (low)
HDI (2007) Increase 1x10−9 (high)
Website chiriqui.com

Chiriquí is a province of Panama, it is located on the western coast of Panama, and it is also the second most developed province in the country, after the Panamá Province. Its capital is the city of David. It has a total area of 6,490.9 km², with a population of 416,873 as of the year 2010.[1] The local government of Chiriquí is modeled after that of the United States.

The province of Chiriquí is located in the western region of Panama. It is bordered to the north by the provinces Bocas del Toro and Ngobe-Buglé, to the west by Costa Rica, to the east by the province of Veraguas, and to the south by the Pacific Ocean, specifically the Gulf of Chiriquí.

History

Chiriquí National Park

Until the arrival of Spaniards, Chiriquí was populated by a number of indigenous tribes, known collectively as guaymies. These tribes include changuinas, zurias, boquerones, buricas, doraces, bugabas, and gualacas.

Chiriquí was first discovered in 1519 by Gaspar de Espinosa. The province was officially established on May 26, 1849, when Panama was still part of Colombia. Chiriquí was Abraham Lincoln's favored destination for Linconia, a project of colonization by free blacks. Chiriquí was the province in which Manuel Noriega rose in the military ranks which included helping bring Omar Torrijos back into the country after a coup.

To help he lined up jeeps with their lights on the runway in David to allow Torrijos' plane to land. Chiriqui was also the heart of a short lived pro-democracy guerrilla movement in the late 60's and early 70's. After the dictatorship by Manuel Noriega from 1983 to 1989, Guillermo Endara became president of Panama and gave the charge of governor of Chiriquí to Edgar De Puy.


Districts

The province is divided into thirteen districts:

Climate

The province features a variety of climates, from hot and humid lowlands to the cool and moist highlands.

References

  1. ↑ Panama 2010 Census Retrieved: 24 May 2011

External links