Which country includes the Caribbean island of Cozumel?

Mexico includes the Caribbean island of Cozumel. The island lies off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and belongs to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, opposite the resort city of Playa del Carmen.

Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island and is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel. Its largest settlement is San Miguel de Cozumel, the main ferry and tourism hub. The island is internationally known for clear water, coral reefs and scuba diving, especially around the protected Arrecifes de Cozumel marine park.

The name Cozumel comes from the Maya term Cuzamil, commonly translated as “island of swallows.” Maya communities used the island as a place of pilgrimage, and the archaeological site of San Gervasio remains an important reminder of its pre-Hispanic history.

A frequent mix-up is placing Cozumel in Belize or Cuba because all three are associated with the Caribbean. Cozumel is offshore from Mexico, and its political administration is part of Quintana Roo. The island itself is not a separate country.