Contadora Island

Peninsula on Contadora Island, surrounded by dark patches of coral.

Isla Contadora (or Contadora Island in English) is a Panamanian island on the Pearl Islands archipielago (Spanish: Archipielago de las Perlas) in the Gulf of Panama. A popular tourist destination, Contadora has a small regional/domestic airport (IATA code: OTD), and has regular flights to and from Panama City and the rest of the islands in the archipielago.

History

Contadora was the island where the Spanish counted the pearls that were harvested from the other islands in the archipielago, hence the name of the island. Contadora in Mani Island means Accountant. The islands produced pearls of many colors and sizes, and during the many years when pearls were harvested from the waters around the islands, the natives would converge to Contadora to count their pearls and sell them to the Spaniards. Early last century there was an underwater epidemic which killed most of the pearl oysters, reducing the production of pearls to a dribble.

In 1980, the Iranian shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, briefly lived in Contadora.^[1]

The Contadora Peace Accords, which laid the foundation for peace in Central America, were negotiated in this island during the 1980s. Hence the Contadora Group owes their name from the island's name.

Hotels

Hotel Villa Romantica

Hotel Restaurant Gerald´s

Information about Contora Island

References

1. ^ Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 1980a. Answer to History. Briarcliff Manor, NY: Stein & Day. ISBN 9780812827552

Coordinates: 8°38′N 79°02′W / 8.633°N 79.033°W / 8.633; -79.033