What is Cocos Island in Costa Rica also known as?

Cocos Island is an island of volcanic origin lying in the Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles (480 km) south of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. It rises to an elevation of about 2,800 feet (850 metres) above sea level, is about 5 miles (8 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide, and has a total area of 9 square miles (24 square km). The island itself, “Isla del Coco”, also known as “Treasure Island”, is the only landmark of the vast submarine Cocos Range.

Cocos gained notoriety during the colonial era as a haven for pirates and as an alleged site of their buried treasures, which have never been found despite the attempts of hundreds of expeditions. The island is supposed to hold three of the largest treasure troves of all time. From pirates to the entire horde of Lima which was hidden there from Simon Bolivar and his troops in 1821.

Similar to the Galapagos, Cocos Island, because of the distance from the mainland, is an important repository of species unique to the island.