Portland Parish (Portland)
Portland, with its capital town Port Antonio, is a parish located on Jamaica's northeast coast. It is situated to the north of St Thomas and to the east of St Mary in Surrey County. It is one of the rural areas of Jamaica, containing part of the Blue Mountains, where the Jamaican Maroon communities of Moore Town and Charles Town are located.
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 m above sea level, down to the north coast, and is noted for its fertile soil, scenery, and beaches. The parish lies in the direct path of the northeast trade winds, and the Blue Mountain ridge to its south traps the moisture. This parish has 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.
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.
The population of Portland is an estimated 82,183, 15,000 of whom live in the capital town. Its people are 89.8% black, 1.2% white, 5.3% Asians, 2.6% mixed race, and 1.1% other. It includes the separate Maroon communities of Charles Town, Jamaica and Moore Town.
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 m above sea level, down to the north coast, and is noted for its fertile soil, scenery, and beaches. The parish lies in the direct path of the northeast trade winds, and the Blue Mountain ridge to its south traps the moisture. This parish has 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.
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.
The population of Portland is an estimated 82,183, 15,000 of whom live in the capital town. Its people are 89.8% black, 1.2% white, 5.3% Asians, 2.6% mixed race, and 1.1% other. It includes the separate Maroon communities of Charles Town, Jamaica and Moore Town.
Map - Portland Parish (Portland)
Map
Country - Jamaica
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| JMD | Jamaican dollar | $ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |