Chiriquí Province

Chiriquí (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃiɾiˈki]) is a province of Panama located on the western coast; it is 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 462,056 as of the year 2019.[1] The province of Chiriquí is bordered to the north by the province of Bocas del Toro, 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.

Chiriquí Province
Provincia de Chiriquí
Flag of Chiriquí Province
Coat of arms of Chiriquí Province
Coordinates (Seat of Government): 8°26′N 82°26′W
CountryPanama
FoundedMay 26, 1849
CapitalDavid
Area
  Total6,490.9 km2 (2,506.2 sq mi)
Highest elevation
3,477 m (11,407 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2019)[1]
  Total462,056
  Density71/km2 (180/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EDT)
ISO 3166 codePA-4
Gini (2007)32.9 (low)
HDI (2017)0.789[2]
high
Websitechiriqui.com

History

Until the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Chiriquí was populated by a number of indigenous tribes, known collectively as the Guaymí people.

The first European to visit and describe Chiriquí was Gaspar de Espinosa, in 1519. The province was officially established on 26 May 1849, when Panama was still part of Colombia. Several years later, President Abraham Lincoln of the United States proposed Chiriquí as a favored location for Linconia, a colony for free blacks from the United States. Only 349 accepted the offer. Most blacks were not interested.

Chiriquí was the province in which Manuel Noriega rose in the military ranks in the late 20th century; he helped bring Omar Torrijos back into the country after a coup d'état. Noriega had jeeps lined up with their lights on the runway in David to allow Torrijos's aircraft to land. Chiriqui was at the heart of a short-lived pro-democracy guerrilla movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After the dictatorship by Manuel Noriega from 1983 to 1989, Guillermo Endara became president of Panama; he appointed Edgar De Puy as governor of Chiriquí.

Administrative divisions

Chiriquí Province is divided into 13 distritos (districts) and sub-divided into 100 corregimientos,[3] although a 14th district and an additional corregimiento took effect from May 2019.

Distrito Area
(km2)
Population

Estimate
2010[4]

Population

Estimate
2019[1]

Alanje 443 16,996 17,433
Barú 595 57,424 58,472
Boquerón 295 15,475 16,229
Boquete 488 22,002 23,313
Bugaba 880 80,527 83,704
David 868 155,812 172,384
Dolega 251 25,848 26,805
Gualaca 626 10,037 10,412
Remedios 167 4,170 4,323
Renacimiento 529 21,126 21,490
San Félix 218 6,493 6,803
San Lorenzo 648 7,729 8,024
Tierras Altas [5] [5] [5]
Tolé 482 12,238 12,674
District Corregimientos (Subdivisions) Cabecera (Seat)
Alanje District Santiago de Alanje, Canta Gallo, Divalá, El Tejar, Guarumal, Nuevo México, Palo Grande, Querévalo, Santo Tomás Santiago de Alanje
Barú District Puerto Tomás Armuelles, Baco, Limones, Progreso, Rodolfo Aguilar Delgado Puerto Tomás Armuelles
Boquerón District Boquerón, Bágala, Cordillera, Guabal, Guayabal, Paraíso, Pedregal, Tijeras Boquerón
Boquete District Bajo Boquete, Alto Boquete, Caldera, Jaramillo, Los Naranjos, Palmira Bajo Boquete
Bugaba District La Concepción, Aserrío de Gariché, Bugaba, El Bongo, Gómez, La Estrella, San Andrés, Santa Marta, Santa Rosa, Santo Domingo, Solano, Sortová La Concepción
David District San José de David, Bijagual, Cochea, Chiriquí, Guacá, Las Lomas, Pedregal, San Carlos, San Pablo Nuevo, San Pablo Viejo San José de David
Dolega District San Francisco de Dolega, Dos Ríos, Los Algarrobos, Los Anastacios, Potrerillos, Potrerillos Abajo, Rovira, Tinajas San Francisco de Dolega
Gualaca District Gualaca, Hornito, Los Angeles, Paja de Sombrero, Rincón Gualaca
Remedios District Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, El Nancito, El Porvenir, El Puerto, Santa Lucía Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
Renacimiento District Río Sereno, Breñón, Cañas Gordas, Dominical, Monte Lirio, Plaza de Caisán, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz Río Sereno
San Félix District Las Lajas, Juay, Lajas Adentro, San Félix, Santa Cruz Las Lajas
San Lorenzo District Horconcitos, Boca Chica, Boca del Monte, San Juan, San Lorenzo Horconcitos
Tierras Altas District Volcán, Cerro Punta, Cuesta de Piedra, Nueva California, Paso Ancho Volcán
Tolé District Tolé, Bella Vista, Cerro Viejo, El Cristo, Justo Fidel Palacios, Lajas de Tolé, Potrero de Caña, Quebrada de Piedra, Veladero Tolé

Note: Through Law 55 of 13 September 2013, the creation of Tierras Altas District had been approved, consisting of the corregimientos of Cerro Punta, Cuesta de Piedra, Nueva California, Paso Ancho and Volcán, which were split off from Bugaba District. The new district was to have Volcán as its main centre. Also through that same law, the corregimiento of Solano was created, after splitting off from the corregimiento of La Concepción, Bugaba. That new administrative division within Chiriquí Province was to come into effect by 2 May 2019.[6][7]

Climate

The province features a variety of climates, from hot and humid lowlands to the cool and moist highlands. The district is home to Fortuna Forest Reserve.

References

  1. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo, Ciudad de Panamá.
  2. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  3. "Municipios (distritos) de Chiriquí". Editorial OX. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  4. As of 1 July 2010; adjusted for under-enumeration in the 2010 Census. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo, Ciudad de Panamá.
  5. included in figure for Bugaba District.
  6. «Presidente sanciona Ley que crea distrito de Tierras Altas en Chiriquí», Article from 16 September 2013 on the Ministry of Presidency of Panama website.
  7. "Ley 55" (PDF). Gaceta Oficial Digital. Año CIX (27374): 2–11. 16 September 2013.
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