Portland, with its capital town Port Antonio, is a parish, located on Jamaica's north-east coast. It is situated to the north of St. Thomas, and the east of St.Mary in Surrey county. It is one of the rural areas of Jamaica and is known for its great beaches. In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... A parish is a subdivision. ... Northeast is the ordinal direction halfway between north and east. ... Compass rose with north highlighted and at top North is one of the four cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction: north is used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions; the (visual) top edges of maps usually correspond to the... St. ... A compass rose with east highlighted East is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. ... Gabriel delivering the Annunciation to Mary. ... Originally, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count (in Great Britain, an earl, though the original earldoms covered larger areas) by reason of that office. ... Rural areas are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities and towns. ... 90 mile beach Australia A beach or strand is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles such as sand, shingle, cobble, or even shell along the shoreline of a body of water. ...

History

Port Antonio was discovered in the 16th Century, by the Spanish, who named it "Puerto Anton". Portland is the result of the combination of two parishes; St. George and a part of St. Thomas. In the 18th century, the town was a strong British naval stronghold, and even today, there is evidence of British architecture in the parish square; the Anglican stone church, built in 1840, and the DeMontevin Lodge ,1881 — now a popular guest house on Titchfield Peninsula — and Fort George, 1729, which overlooks the harbours with its cannons pointing towards the sea. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Navy is also:- shorthand for Navy Blue the nickname of the United States Naval Academy A navy is the branch of the armed forces of a nation that operates primarily on water. ... Architecture (in Greek αρχή = first and τέχνη = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... Events July 30 - Baltimore, Maryland is founded. ... A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... For other uses, see Cannon (disambiguation). ...

In the 1700s when sugar cane and coffee were being cultivated by African slave labour, many slaves were able to plan rebellions and escape into the mountainous interior, as the slaves outnumbered their white masters ten to one. The parish was generally uninhabited, however, and in 1723, the Governor began offering free land to white Protestants, and to free mulattos, Indians or Negroes in an attempt to populate this parish. This seemed only to attract more British, and the Maroons, who were runaway slaves living in the Blue and John Crow Mountains, were determined not to let the British take over the parish. Events and trends The Bonneville Slide blocks the Columbia River near the site of present-day Cascade Locks, Oregon with a land bridge 200 feet (60 m) high. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... The word slaves has several meanings and usages: People who are owned by others, and live to serve them without pay. ... A rebellion is, in the most general sense, a refusal to accept authority. ... Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. ... A governor is also a device that regulates the speed of a machine. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Representation of Mulattos during the Latin American colonial period Mulatto (also Mulato) is a term of Spanish and/or Portuguese origin describing the first generation offspring of a Sub-Saharan African and a European. ... Negro means the color black in both Spanish and Portuguese languages, being derived from the Latin word niger of the same meaning. ... Mount Cook, a mountain in New Zealand A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ...

A series of battles took place in the 1730s, which would end when the British and the Maroon settlement, governed by "Nanny of the the Maroon", sign a treaty in 1739. 'Nanny of the Maroon' would later become Jamaica's first and only National Heroine. Events and Trends The Great Awakening - A Protestant religious movement active in the British colonies of North America Sextant invented (probably around 1730) independently by John Hadley in Great Britain and Thomas Godfrey in the American colonies World leaders Louis XV King of France (king from 1715 to 1774) George... A treaty is a binding agreement under international law concluded by subjects of international law, namely states and international organizations. ... Events March 20 - Nadir Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne, including the Koh-i-Noor September 9 - Stono Rebellion erupts near Charleston September 18 - Treaty of Belgrade signed October 3 - Treaty of Nissa signed October 23 - Great Britain declares war...

Tourism also played an integral role in the development of the Portland. The business began in the mid 19th century, with the exportation of banana. Port Antonio, the capital, was renowned as the 'World's Banana Capital'. Jamaica's tourism was virtually born in this parish, when banana boats returning from Boston, U.S.A. brought the first tourists to Jamaica. Another boost to the local economy occurred when Errol Flynn's yacht washed ashore in bad weather. He fell in love with the area and bought property on Navy Island, just off the coast, where he entertained his Hollywood friends. A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Beaches make popular tourist resorts Tourist redirects here; for the album by Athlete, see Tourist (album) Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Species Hybrid origin; see text A banana is a tree-like plant (though strictly a herb) of the genus Musa in the family Musaceae, closely related to plantains. ... Alternative meanings: Boston (disambiguation) The 18th-century Old State House in Boston is surrounded by tall buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Errol Flynn Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, one of his most famous roles Errol Leslie Thompson Flynn (June 20, 1909–October 14, 1959), was a film actor born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles. ... A yacht A yacht was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used to convey important persons. ... ...

Geography and Demography

The parish is situated at latitude 18°10' N and longitude 75°27'W. It extends from the highest peaks of the Blue Mountains, 2256 meters above sea-level, down to the north coast, and is noted for its fertile soil, beautiful scenery. The parish lies in the direct path of the north east trade winds and the Blue Mountain ridge to its south traps the moisture causing the parish to have the highest rainfall in the island. Port Antonio, its chief town and capital, has two harbours, the western one being sheltered by a small islet, Navy Island. Portland covers an area of 814 square kilometers, making it Jamaica's seventh largest parish. Latitude, denoted by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... Map of Earth showing curved lines of longitude Longitude, sometimes denoted by the Greek letter λ, describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ... Blue Mountains of New South Wales The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, roughly 100 kilometres west of Sydney, are a range of sandstone mountains that reach to 1111 metres above sea level at their highest, One Tree Hill, and form part of the Great Dividing Range that runs... // Definition Mean sea level (MSL) is the average height of the sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface. ... A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ... For the heavy metal band see Soil (band) Soil is unconsolidated rock particle that lies on the surface of the earth, supporting the growth of plants, and serving as a habitat for animal life from microorganisms to small animals. ... Theatrical scenery is things that are used as setting for a theatrical production. ... Northeast is the ordinal direction halfway between north and east. ... The trade winds are a pattern of wind found in bands around Earths equatorial region. ... A ridge is a geological feature that features a continuous elevational crest for some distance. ... A compass rose with South highlighted South is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... Western can refer to: A Western blot is a method in molecular biology to detect a certain protein in a sample by using antibody specific to that protein. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ...

The parish has a variety of complex landforms; the entire coastline is dotted with caves, bays, rivers, waterfalls and hills. There are fourteen caves, which include those at Buff Bay, Orange Bay, Hope Bay, Port Antonio, Boston Bay, Long Bay, Innis Bay and Nonsuch. There are also 17 rivers which form a network throughout the parish. The largest are the Rio Grande, Buff Bay and Hectors Rivers. A landform comprises a geomorphological unit. ... Alternate meanings: Cave (disambiguation) The outside world viewed from a cave A cave is a natural underground void. ... In geography, a bay or gulf is a collection of water that is surrounded by land on three sides. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ... Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water, often in the form of a stream, flowing over an erosion-resistant rock formation that forms a sudden break in elevation. ... For the landform that extends above the surrounding terrain and that is smaller than a mountain, see the article on mountain. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ... It has been suggested that networking be merged into this article or section. ...

The population of Portland is an estimated 82000, 15,000 of which live in the capital town. In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ...

Attractions

Because of its natural attractions, Tourism has often flourished in the parish. It is noted for its fine beaches, such as Frenchman's Cove, Boston, Winifred, and Dragon Bay. The world famous Blue Lagoon is also situated in the parish. It is believed to be the crater of an extinct volcano. The lagoon is an almost landlocked cove with approximately 55m (180 ft.) of water. Rafting on the Rio Grande River is also a tourist attraction. Boston Jerk Centre is an area in Portland that is well known for its famous jerked foods, including chicken and pork. Jerked foods are foods made with Jamaican jerk spice. A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Beaches make popular tourist resorts Tourist redirects here; for the album by Athlete, see Tourist (album) Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Beaches is a 1988 movie adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the novel Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart. ... The Blue Lagoon may mean: The Blue Lagoon (novel), a novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole The Blue Lagoon (1923 movie), a silent movie based on the novel The Blue Lagoon (1949 movie), a movie based on the novel The Blue Lagoon (1980 movie), a remake of the above movie... The word crater may refer to A landform resembling a pit or depression in the topography that can be formed in several ways: speculation exists that a meteorite impact with another body can cause an impact crater, an electrical discharge on any scale tends to form circular craters, volcanic activity... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where magma (rock of the Earths interior made molten or liquid by extremely high temperatures along with a reduction in pressure and/or the introduction of water or other volatiles) erupts through the surface of the planet. ... A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... Lulworth Cove, Dorset England This article is about the coastal feature, for details of the megalithic monument see Cove (standing stones) A cove is a coastal landform. ... Rafting is a recreational activity utilizing a raft to navigate a river or other body of water. ... Binomial name Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) A chicken (Gallus gallus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ... Hormel Pork Loin Filets This article is on meat. ... Jerk chicken being cooked Jerk chicken as London festival food Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meats (traditionally pork, but now including chicken, fish, tofu) are dry-rubbed with a fiery spice mixture (called Jamaican jerk spice) and then cooked in a pit, on a...

References

• Parish information
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica
• Profile of Portland
• Political Geography of Jamaica
• History

Parishes of Jamaica
Clarendon | Hanover | Kingston | Manchester | Portland | Saint Andrew | Saint Ann | Saint Catherine | Saint Elizabeth | Saint James | Saint Mary | Saint Thomas | Trelawny | Westmoreland