Wikipedia
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Location of Cozumel-States of MexicoStateQuintana Roo-Presidente municipalGustavo Ortega Joaquín- style="white-space: nowrap;" Area
–Land&l t;br? !/> –Water< bara> style="white-space: nowrap;" ? km²
N/A km²
N/A km²- style="white-space: nowrap;" Population
–Total (as of 20032003)
–Popula tion? densityDensity style="white-space: nowrap;" about 90,000 (2003)- style="white-space: nowrap;" Time zone style="white-space: nowrap;" Coordinated Universal TimeUTC –6- Latitude
Longitude 20°30′ N
86°57′ W - align="center" colspan="2" Official website: cozumel.gob.mx - Ayuntamiento de Cozumel}Cozumel (Maya languagesMaya: ''Island of the HirundinidaeSwallows'') is an island off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is one of the eight Municipalities of Quintana Roomunicipalities ''(Municipio (Mexico)municipios)'' of the Mexican statestate of Quintana Roo. Cozumel is a popular tourist destination renowned for its scuba diving. The main town on the island is San Miguel, Quintana RooSan Miguel.The island is about 48 km (30 miles) north-south and 16 km (10 miles) east-west, and is the largest island of Mexico. It is about 20 km (12 miles) from the mainland, and some 60 km (36 miles) south of Cancún. Nearly everybody in Cozumel lives in the town of San Miguel (pop. est. 90,000 in 2003), which is on the western shore. The rest of the island is low, flat, and densely vegetated.
History - The Maya civilizationMaya are believed to have first settled Cozumel by the early part of the 1st millennium AD, and older Preclassic Olmec artifacts have been found on the island as well. The island was sacred to Ix Chel, the Maya Moon Goddess, and the temples here were a place of pilgrimage, especially by women desiring fertility. There are a number of ruins on the island, most from the Post-Classic period. The largest Maya ruins on the island were bulldozed to make way for a airplane runway during World War II. The first SpainSpanish visitor was Juan de Grijalva in 1518, and in the following year Hernán Cortés came with a fleet and destroyed many Maya temples. Some 40,000 Maya people lived on the island then, but smallpox devastated them and by 1570 only 30 were left alive. In the ensuing years Cozumel was nearly deserted, used as a hideout by pirates from time to time. In 1848, the Caste War of Yucatán resulted in resettlement by refugees escaping the tumult.In the 1960s, Jacques-Yves CousteauJacques Cousteau discovered the extent and beauty of the coral reefs around Cozumel and publicized it as one of the best places to go scuba diving in the world. In the late 1970s a much enlarged airport Cozumel International Airport was built, capable of handling jet aircraft and international flights. This resulted in much greater tourism to Cozumel. Diving is still a primary draw, but Cozumel built a deepwater pier in the 1990s (causing some damage to the reefs) so that cruise ships could easily dock there, and it is now a regular stop on cruises in the Caribbean.At 15:30 on October 21, 2005, Hurricane Wilma, a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ScaleCategory 4 hurricane (the island's Hurricane Emilysecond hit in three months), made a direct hit on the island, its eye crossing the island from southeast to northwest.
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External links - scuba-diving-cozumel.com - Scuba-Diving-Cozumel.com islacozumel.com.mx - Isla Cozumel official site cozumelmycozumel.com - !www.cozumelmycozumel.comCatego ry:Islands? of !Mexicoda:Cozumelde:Cozumeles:C ozumeleo:Cozumelfr:Cozumelnl:C ozumelpt:Cozumel
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Websites
Hotel Flamingo, Cozumel's Boutique Hotel
The Flamingo is a unique boutique property located in the cultural center of Cozumel. We are just steps from the water front and the dining and shopping attractions of the town square. Yet, we are quietly hidden away.... The Flamingo prides itself on a high level of personalized service and attention to our guests needs. For those looking to getaway from today's rapid pace, we provide a spacious and stylish environment in which to relax, meet new friends, and enjoy the better things in life.
http://www.hotelflamingo.com/
Guide to Cozumel
Information about hotels, tour operators, water sports, shopping and restaurants. Includes maps, weather report and ferry schedules.
http://www.cozumel.net
CozumelOnline.com
Cozumel travel guide featuring scuba diving, snorkeling and adventure travel information, with listings for hotels and resorts.
http://cozumelonline.com
At Home in Cozumel
Vacation condos, homes and villas on Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres.
http://www.cozumel.tc
Viva Cozumel
Reservations and travel information including lodging, diving, car rental, maps, video, multimedia and local links.
http://www.viva-cozumel.com/
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