Cozumel
is the biggest island in Mexico. Surrounded by turquoise waters
and a spectacular string of coral reefs, it is a scuba-diver's paradise.
Since the release of the documentary by marine explorer Jacques
Cousteau in 1961, Cozumel has become a choice location, visited
by thousands of scuba divers every year. Hundreds of cruise ships
also make stop-overs here. The surrounding waters abound in countless
aquatic species, colorful reefs and the remains of sunken Spanish
galleons. In fact, more than 30% of visitors to Cozumel are scuba
divers, or are aspiring to be! Other visitors can observe an extraordinary
variety of migratory birds that spend a portion of the year here,
visit the Parque Naciomnal y Jardines Botánicas Chankanaab, go shopping,
go fishing, or simply relax on one of the magnificent beaches all
around the island.
Located 19 kilometers
from the coast, the island is flat and shaped like lobster claws.
It's about 45 kilometers by 16 kilometers by size. The center of
Cozumel is overgrown with vegetation. Its periphery, though, is
a continuous ring of white sand and limestone. Since the east coast
of the island is exposed to high winds, tourist establishments and
hotels are situated on the west coast. San Miguel, the only city
on the island, with a population of about 50,000, is also on the
west side.
Around
the year 300, Cozumel was occupied by a Mayan tribe. It subsequently
became an important port of commerce and ceremonial site. Women
from the coast would come to Cozumel by pirogue (dugout canoe)
to worship Ix-Chel, the goddess of fertility. There are more than
35 archaeological sites throughout the island but only a few are
maintained. Cortez landed here in 1519 before he undertook the conquest
of Mexican territory. He left two missionaries here to try to convert
the population to Christianity; they were imprisoned. Cortez
was preceded by Juan de Grijalva in 1518 who was seeking slaves.
The island's coves
provided refuge to pirates, including the dreaded Jean Lafitte and
Henry Morgan, who scoured the seas in the 17th and 18th centuries.
These pirates sank countless merchant ships, the wrecks of which
litter the ocean floor around Cozumel. In the 19th century the economic
activity of Cozumel centered around fishing, and the Central American
trade routes passed through here.
Cozumel's
economic revival at the beginning of the century was prompted by
the popularity of chewing gum in the United States. The island became
a stopover on the import route from South America of chiclé, an
extract of the sapodilla tree and the base of chewing gum. This
trade declined when a less expensive synthetic product was invented
to replace the chiclé. Later, the United States built an air force
base used by the allies to pursue German submarines during the second
World War.
Cozumel
is the biggest island in Mexico. Surrounded by turquoise waters
and a spectacular string of coral reefs, it is a scuba-diver's paradise.
Since the release of the documentary by marine explorer Jacques
Cousteau in 1961, Cozumel has become a choice location, visited
by thousands of scuba divers every year. Hundreds of cruise ships
also make stop-overs here. The surrounding waters abound in countless
aquatic species, colorful reefs and the remains of sunken Spanish
galleons. In fact, more than 30% of visitors to Cozumel are scuba
divers, or are aspiring to be! Other visitors can observe an extraordinary
variety of migratory birds that spend a portion of the year here,
visit the Parque Naciomnal y Jardines Botánicas Chankanaab, go shopping,
go fishing, or simply relax on one of the magnificent beaches all
around the island.
Around
the year 300, Cozumel was occupied by a Mayan tribe. It subsequently
became an important port of commerce and ceremonial site. Women
from the coast would come to Cozumel by pirogue (dugout canoe)
to worship Ix-Chel, the goddess of fertility. There are more than
35 archaeological sites throughout the island but only a few are
maintained. Cortez landed here in 1519 before he undertook the conquest
of Mexican territory. He left two missionaries here to try to convert
the population to Christianity; they were imprisoned. Cortez
was preceded by Juan de Grijalva in 1518 who was seeking slaves.
Cozumel's
economic revival at the beginning of the century was prompted by
the popularity of chewing gum in the United States. The island became
a stopover on the import route from South America of chiclé, an
extract of the sapodilla tree and the base of chewing gum. This
trade declined when a less expensive synthetic product was invented
to replace the chiclé. Later, the United States built an air force
base used by the allies to pursue German submarines during the second
World War.