Where is Cocos Island and who administers it?

Cocos Island is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean located roughly 550 kilometers southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. Administered by Costa Rica as part of Puntarenas Province, the island has no permanent residents other than park rangers. It is renowned for its unique ecology, marine life, and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What we know

• Cocos Island is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica. [1, 2]
• The island is located approximately 550 km southwest of the Costa Rican mainland and constitutes the 11th district of Puntarenas Canton. [2]
• Cocos Island has no inhabitants other than park rangers. [2]
• Cocos Island National Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 due to its unique ecology. [2]

Where to go next

• what followedWhy is Cocos Island popular with scuba divers?
• compared withHow does Cocos Island differ from the Galapagos Archipelago?
• how it workedWhat tectonic plate is associated with Cocos Island?
• the bigger pictureWhat marine species populate Costa Rica's protected waters?
• whenWhen was Cocos Island designated a National Park?
• an unexpected connectionHow do Pacific volcanic islands relate to Indian Ocean atolls?Both share the name Cocos despite being entirely different island types located in separate oceans, with the Indian Ocean territory having a history tied to a private Scottish family fiefdom.

Sources

• [1]Coco Island (Wikidata Q215081) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Cocos Island · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Cocos (Keeling) Islands · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Cocos Islands mutiny · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airport · CC BY-SA 4.0