Cocos Island—26 sq km (10 sq mi), about 480 km (300 mi) off the Pacific coast, at 5°32′ N and 87°2′ W —is under Costa Rican sovereignty. It is mainly jungle, with a maximum elevation of 850 m (2,788 ft). There is no permanent population, but the island is popular with transient treasure hunters. Cocos Island has two harbors and is of strategic importance because of its position along the western approach to the Panama Canal.
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