Colón Province
Encyclopedia
Colón is a province of Panama
. The capital is the city of Colón
.
This province has traditionally been focused in commerce (through the Colón Free Zone
, Panama Canal
and its banking activities), but also has natural resources that are being developed as tourist attraction, such as coral
reefs and rainforests. During the Spanish colonial period, the Colon region of Panama was the center of trade, commerce, and overall economy for the Spanish. They imported many black African slaves to this area to work in Panama and to ship to other Spaniard colonies.
Most of the black population in Panama is centered in the Province of Colon. Panama has two distinct groups of blacks. The first and earliest blacks were those who came as slaves as early as the fifteenth century, through much of the nineteenth century. They are of mixed African and Spanish descent. This group is known as Cimarrones, Afro Colonials, Nativos, Playeros, Congos. These terms have proven crucial in establishing that these are the first and original blacks of the Republic of Panama. Afro Colonials have held on to their culture and adopted Hispanic customs, traits, and cultures. They took and assumed Spanish names and surnames. They also developed the beginning of Panama's black population and culture, in pure and in mixed forms. They have been incorporated into Panamanian and Spanish-speaking society, as a result.
In the nineteenth century, beginning as early as the 1840s, blacks from the Caribbean and West Indies immigrated to Panama to assist to build the Panama Railway and the Panama Canal
. Later many blacks from all over the Caribbean and West Indies, especially from Jamaica
and Barbados
, settled here between the years of 1880 and 1920 to build the Panama Canal. Many later settled in the Colon Province. This group of Caribbean and/or West Indian origin are called Afro Antillanos by the Hispanic Panamanians. They have assimilated to the Hispanic culture and Panama as well as holding on to aspects of their descent and culture. They have influenced the cuisine and music of Panama. Most importantly, their influence on music, especially from those of Jamaican descent invented and created Reggaeton
.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. The capital is the city of Colón
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
.
This province has traditionally been focused in commerce (through the Colón Free Zone
Colón Free Trade Zone
The Colón Free Trade Zone is a gigantic entity at the Atlantic gateway to the Panamá Canal, dedicated to re-export an enormous variety of merchandise to Latin America and the Caribbean. It is also the largest free zone in the Americas and second largest in the world.It started operations in 1948...
, Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and its banking activities), but also has natural resources that are being developed as tourist attraction, such as coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
reefs and rainforests. During the Spanish colonial period, the Colon region of Panama was the center of trade, commerce, and overall economy for the Spanish. They imported many black African slaves to this area to work in Panama and to ship to other Spaniard colonies.
Most of the black population in Panama is centered in the Province of Colon. Panama has two distinct groups of blacks. The first and earliest blacks were those who came as slaves as early as the fifteenth century, through much of the nineteenth century. They are of mixed African and Spanish descent. This group is known as Cimarrones, Afro Colonials, Nativos, Playeros, Congos. These terms have proven crucial in establishing that these are the first and original blacks of the Republic of Panama. Afro Colonials have held on to their culture and adopted Hispanic customs, traits, and cultures. They took and assumed Spanish names and surnames. They also developed the beginning of Panama's black population and culture, in pure and in mixed forms. They have been incorporated into Panamanian and Spanish-speaking society, as a result.
In the nineteenth century, beginning as early as the 1840s, blacks from the Caribbean and West Indies immigrated to Panama to assist to build the Panama Railway and the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Later many blacks from all over the Caribbean and West Indies, especially from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, settled here between the years of 1880 and 1920 to build the Panama Canal. Many later settled in the Colon Province. This group of Caribbean and/or West Indian origin are called Afro Antillanos by the Hispanic Panamanians. They have assimilated to the Hispanic culture and Panama as well as holding on to aspects of their descent and culture. They have influenced the cuisine and music of Panama. Most importantly, their influence on music, especially from those of Jamaican descent invented and created Reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
.
Districts
The province is divided in 5 districts.- Colón District and the capital Colón CityColón, PanamaColón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
. Corregimientos include Barrio Norte, Barrio SurBarrio SurBarrio Sur is a barrio of Montevideo, Uruguay. It is directly South of the Centro and is delimited by Canelones Str. on the North, Andes Str. on the West, the coastal avenue on the South and Dr. Barrios Amorin Str. on the East...
, Buena Vista, CativáCativá- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Ciricito, SabanitasSabanitasSabanitas is part of Colón city province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Salamanca, Limón, Nueva Providencia, Puerto PilónPuerto PilónPuerto Pilón is a town in the Colón province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, CristóbalCristóbal, ColónCristóbal is a port in the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. It is located on the western edge of Manzanillo Island and is part of the Panamanian city and province of Colón...
, EscobalEscobal- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, San Juan and Santa Rosa.
- Chagres DistrictChagres DistrictChagres District is a district of Colón Province in Panama. The population according to the 2000 census was 9,191.The district covers a total area of 446 km²...
. Corregimientos include Nuevo Chagres (capital), Achiote, El Guabo, La Encantada, Palmas BellasPalmas BellasPalmas Bellas is a town in the Colón province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Piña and Salud.
- Donoso DistrictDonoso DistrictDonoso District is a district of Colón Province in Panama. The population according to the 2000 census was 9,671.The district covers a total area of 1,817 km²...
. Corregimientos include Miguel de la Borda (capital), Coclé del Norte, El Guásimo, Gobea, Río IndioRio IndioThe Rio Indio is a river in the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico....
and San José del Genera.
- Portobelo DistrictPortobelo DistrictPortobelo District is a district of Colón Province in Panama. The population according to the 2000 census was 7,964.The district covers a total area of 394 km²...
. Corregimientos include Portobelo (capital), Cacique, Garrote, Isla GrandeIsla GrandeSee also Isla IxtapaDespite its name, Isla Grande is a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama, about a half hour drive...
and María ChiquitaMaría ChiquitaMaría Chiquita is a town in the Colón province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
.
- Santa Isabel DistrictSanta Isabel DistrictSanta Isabel District is a district of Colón Province in Panama. The population according to the 2000 census was 3,323.The district covers a total area of 729 km²...
. Corregimientos include Santa Isabel (capital), Palenque, CuangoCuangoCuango is a town and municipality in Lunda Norte Province in Angola....
, Miramar, Nombre de Dios, Palmira, Playa Chiquita and Viento Frío.