With an area of 50.3 square miles, Coiba's the largest island in Central America, off the Pacific coast of the Panamanian province of Veraguas. History Coiba separated from continental Panama about 12,000 to 18,000 years ago when sea levels rose. Plants and animals on the new island became isolated from mainland populations and over the millennia most animals have diverged in appearance and behavior from their mainland counterparts. The island's home to many endemic subspecies, including the… (More on Coiba)