El Real de Santa María facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Real de Santa María
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Corregimiento
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 El Real de Santa María
Location in Panama
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| Country |  Panama |
| Province | Darién |
| District | Pinogana |
| Area | |
| • Land | 120.1 km2 (46.4 sq mi) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,183 |
| • Density | 9.9/km2 (26/sq mi) |
| Population density calculated based on land area. | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| Climate | Aw |
El Real de Santa María is a small town in Panama. It is located in the Darién Province. This town is also known as a corregimiento, which is a type of local administrative area in Panama. In 2010, about 1,183 people lived there. It is the main town for the Pinogana District.
Contents
Location and Geography
El Real de Santa María is found along the Pirre River. This river is a smaller branch of the larger Tuira River. The town is about 17 kilometers (about 10.5 miles) by boat from Yaviza. Yaviza is an important town because it is where the Pan American Highway ends. This highway is a network of roads that connects many countries in the Americas.
History of El Real
Founding as a Fort
The town of El Real de Santa María was first built by the Spanish in 1665. They created it as a fort. The main reason for building this fort was to protect their valuable gold mines in the area. Gold was very important to the Spanish during that time.
Buccaneer Attack
In 1680, an English buccaneer named Bartholomew Sharp took over the town and its fort. Buccaneers were like pirates who attacked ships and towns. However, when Sharp and his crew arrived, they found that the Spanish had already moved most of the gold. Because there was no gold to take, the buccaneers left after only a few days.
Transportation
The town is served by El Real Airport. This is a small airstrip that helps people travel to and from the area. It connects El Real de Santa María to other places.
See also
In Spanish: El Real de Santa María para niños
