Almirante, Bocas del Toro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Almirante
Corregimiento and town
Almirante Location in Panama
Country	Panama
Province	Bocas del Toro Province
District	Changuinola
Area
• Land	95.4 km2 (36.8 sq mi)
Population  (2010)
• Total	12,731
• Density	133.5/km2 (346/sq mi)
	Population density calculated based on land area.
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)

Almirante is a town in Panama, located in the Bocas del Toro Province. It is also the main city of the Almirante District. The name "Almirante" means "admiral" in Spanish.

History of Almirante

Almirante was built by the United Fruit Company in the early 1900s. It was created as a port to ship bananas. The area was originally swampy land that was filled in to build the town. The United Fruit Company had its main offices here until 1970.

The first people to live in Almirante were mostly black Jamaicans and people from the Lesser Antilles. They moved there to work on the banana farms in the early 1900s.

Later, in the 1950s, Chinese, Hindu, and Jewish business people also came to Almirante. This was because the port was very important for trade. Since 2002, many Chinese people have moved to the Bocas del Toro Province, and you can often see them running businesses in Almirante.

On April 22, 1991, a strong earthquake hit Almirante. Many wooden houses were destroyed. After the earthquake, the government built new houses on the edges of the town.

Geography of Almirante

Almirante covers a land area of about 95.4 square kilometers (36.8 square miles). It is about 15 meters (49 feet) above sea level. The town is surrounded by the Ambrossian Bight, which has calm waters.

People and Languages

In 2010, Almirante had a population of 12,731 people. This means there were about 133.5 people per square kilometer (345.8 per square mile). In 1990, the population was 11,584, and in 2000, it was 12,430.

The Bocas del Toro Province has many indigenous people. Over time, more indigenous people moved to Almirante. They have become the largest ethnic group, taking the place of the black population.

People in Almirante speak several languages. These include English, Spanish, native indigenous languages, and Guari-Guari.

Areas and Places to See

Almirante is divided into different areas and has several interesting places.

Wards and Villages

• Wards: These are larger neighborhoods like Barriada Aeropuerto, Barriada Guaymí, Barriada San Agustín, Barrio Francés, Las Golondrinas, Las Vegas, Media Milla, Una Milla, and Zegla.
• Villages: These are smaller communities such as Milla 3, Milla 5, Miraflores, Nuevo Paraíso, Ojo de Agua, and Río Oeste.

In 2015, the District of Almirante was created. Because of this, some neighborhoods and nearby communities were combined to form new areas called corregimientos.

Interesting Sites

• Port of Almirante: This is a very important port.
• "Sea Wall" area: A popular spot by the water.
• Cincuentenario Park: A local park for recreation.
• Catholic Church: An important religious building.
• Anglican Church: Another significant religious building.
• Ojo de Agua mountain village: A village located in the nearby mountains.

What People Do for Work

Today, the main jobs in Almirante are in farming. People grow cocoa and bananas, and they also raise livestock. The Port of Almirante is not as busy as it used to be. This has caused many people to move to Panama City or to mining projects in Coclé Province to find new jobs.

In 2010, a hydroelectric power plant was built in the mountains near Almirante. This plant is run by AES. However, it does not have a big impact on the city's economy.

Getting Around Almirante

Almirante has several ways to travel, including roads, ports, and bus terminals.

Roads

The main roads around Almirante are:

• Almirante - Changuinola
• Almirante - Rambala
• Almirante - Las Millas - Changuinola (this used to be a railway line)
• Almirante - Ojo de Agua - Charco de la Pava Way

Ports

• Port Almirante: This port is operated by Chiquita Panamá.
• Port of Almirante: This is where the ferry leaves for Colón Island.
• Water taxi stations: There are three places where you can catch water taxis.

Bus Terminals

• Sincotavecop Terminal: This terminal is in the center of Almirante. Buses from here go to Changuinola and nearby communities.
• Tranceibosa Terminal: This terminal is on the edge of the city, in an area called "El Cruce." Buses from here go to Panama City and David.

For travelers, Almirante is often a starting point to travel to other cities on the mainland of Panama or to Costa Rica. It takes about 30 minutes by water taxi to get to Colón Island. You can also find private shuttle services to Boquete. There are also shuttles that go between Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Bocas del Toro, passing through Almirante.

Old Railways

The United Fruit Company, and later Chiquita, used to run a narrow-gauge railway. This railway transported bananas from the Changuinola farms to Port Almirante. This railway is no longer used.

Sports in Almirante

Almirante has several places for sports and has produced famous athletes.

Sports Venues

• Basketball court: Located in Una Milla, it has a roof.
• Soccer pitches: There are artificial turf soccer fields in Barrio Francés, Miraflores, and Nuevo Paraiso.
• Baseball Stadium Myric: This stadium has natural grass and is currently being rebuilt.

Famous Sports Figures

• Fernando Seguignol: A former professional baseball player.
• Ivan Murrell: Was a former professional baseball player.
• 

  Ruthford "Chico" Salmon wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform.
• Ruthford "Chico" Salmon: Was a former professional baseball player.

See also

In Spanish: Almirante (Bocas del Toro) para niños