Cozumel

island in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Cozumel (Mayan: Island of the Swallows) is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is one of the eight municipalities (municipios) of the state of Quintana Roo. Cozumel is a popular tourist destination renowned for its scuba diving. The main town on the island is San Miguel de Cozumel.

Cozumel
Geography
LocationCaribbean Sea
Coordinates20°30′N 86°57′W / 20.500°N 86.950°W / 20.500; -86.950
Area647 km2 (250 sq mi)
Administration
Mexico
StateQuintana Roo
Municipios (Municipality)Cozumel
Largest settlementSan Miguel de Cozumel
Presidente municipal (Municipal president)Gustavo Ortega Joaquín (PAN)
Demographics
Population73,193 (2005)
Pop. density113.13/km2 (293.01/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsMaya
Additional information
Time zone UTC –6

The island is about 48 km (30 miles) north-south and 16 km (10 miles) east-west, and is the largest Atlantic island of Mexico. It is about 20 km (12 miles) from the mainland, and some 60 km (36 miles) south of Cancún. The vast majority of the population of Cozumel lives in the town of San Miguel (pop. 71,401 in 2005), which is on the western shore. The rest of the island is low, flat, and densely vegetated.

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