Portland Parish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Portland
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Parish
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Portland in Jamaica
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| Country | Jamaica |
| County | Surrey |
| Capital | Port Antonio |
| Major towns | Buff Bay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 814 km2 (314 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 7 |
| Population
(2012)
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| • Total | 82,183 |
| • Density | 100.96/km2 (261.49/sq mi) |
Portland is a beautiful area, or "parish," located on the northeast coast of Jamaica. Its main town, or capital, is Port Antonio. Portland is found north of St Thomas and east of St Mary. It's part of Surrey County. This area is mostly rural, meaning it has lots of nature and open spaces. It's also home to part of the famous Blue Mountains. Two special communities, Moore Town and Charles Town, where the Jamaican Maroon people live, are found here.
Contents
Exploring Portland's Geography and People
Portland is located at 18°10' N and 75°27'W. It stretches from the very top of the Blue Mountains, which are about 2,256 meters (7,402 feet) high, all the way down to the northern coast. This parish is famous for its rich soil, amazing views, and lovely beaches.
Portland gets a lot of rain because it's in the path of the northeast trade winds. The Blue Mountain ridge to its south helps to trap all that moisture. This means Portland has the highest rainfall in all of Jamaica! Port Antonio, the main town, has two harbors. The western harbor is protected by a small island called Navy Island. Portland covers an area of 814 square kilometers, making it the seventh-largest parish in Jamaica.
The parish has many different types of land. The entire coastline is full of caves, bays, rivers, waterfalls, and hills. There are fourteen caves, including those at Buff Bay and Port Antonio. There are also 17 rivers that flow through the parish. The biggest rivers are the Rio Grande, Buff Bay, and Hectors rivers.
About 82,183 people live in Portland. Around 15,000 of them live in the capital town, Port Antonio. Most of the people are of Black heritage (89.8%). There are also people of White (1.2%), Asian (5.3%), and mixed race (2.6%) backgrounds. The special Maroon communities of Charles Town, Jamaica and Moore Town are also part of Portland.
How Portland Makes Money
Portland's economy relies on farming and tourism.
Farming and Crops
Portland is a top producer of many important crops. These include bananas, coconuts, breadfruits, coffee, mangoes, and ackee. These crops are grown both for selling to other countries and for people to eat locally. The land along Portland's coast is very fertile, which means it's great for growing almost any kind of crop. Many local foods are grown here. There are also about 18 factories, but manufacturing is a smaller part of the economy.
Fun for Tourists
Portland has many places for tourists to stay and enjoy. Some popular spots include Trident Villas and Hotel, Jamaica Palace, and Goblin Hill Hotel.
Amazing Places to Visit
Because of its beautiful natural environment, tourism is very popular in Portland. The parish is known for its stunning beaches, like Frenchman's Cove, Boston Beach, Winifred, and Dragon Bay. The famous Blue Mountains are also in Portland, and you can find two Maroon communities there.
The internationally known Blue Lagoon is in this parish. People believe it might be the crater of an old, inactive volcano. The lagoon is a cove that is almost completely surrounded by land, and its water is about 55 meters (180 feet) deep. Another fun activity for tourists is rafting on the Rio Grande river.
Boston Jerk Centre in Portland is a famous place for its "jerked" foods. You can try jerked chicken, fish, and pork. Jerked foods are made using special Jamaican jerk spice and traditional cooking methods.
Filming Location
Since the 1950s, more than 782 movies and TV shows have been filmed in Portland. Some famous ones include Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1954) by Walt Disney and The Harder They Come (1972). Scenes from the movie Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise, were filmed at the Dragon Bay resort.
Parts of the 1963 film Lord of the Flies were shot at Frenchman's Cove. The 1990 remake of Lord of the Flies was also filmed there and at Snow Hill. Singer Rihanna filmed her music video for "Man Down" in Portland in 2011. American singer Santigold also filmed her music video for "Disparate Youth" in the parish in 2012.
Understanding Portland's Politics
Portland Parish is divided into two areas for voting in national elections. These are called parliamentary constituencies: Portland Eastern and Portland Western.
Towns, Rivers, and Islands
Portland has many interesting places.
Towns in Portland
- Buff Bay
- Cattawood Springs
- Hope Bay
- Manchioneal
- Port Antonio, the Capital
- St. Margaret's Bay
- Norwich
- Snow Hill
- Boston
- Drapers
- Fruitful Vale
- Shrewsbury
- Coopers Hill
- Moore Town
- Charles Town, Jamaica
- Fellowship
- Mount Pleasant
Rivers in Portland
- Buff Bay River
- Daniels River
- Hectors River
- Rio Grande
- Spanish River
- Swift River
- Reach Falls
- Somerset Falls
- Danny River
Islands Near Portland
- Navy Island, Jamaica
- Pelew (Monkey) Island
- Ship Rock Island (featured in Lord of the Flies, 1992)
- Wood Island
- Christmas Island
Beaches in Portland
- Boston Beach
- Long Bay Beach
- Frenchman's Cove
- Winifred's Beach
- San San Beach
- San Shy Beach
- Pt. Antonio Pier
- Titchfield Beach
Famous People from Portland
Many notable people have connections to Portland:
- Edward Baugh (born 1936) - A Jamaican writer and lecturer who lived in Portland and went to Titchfield High School.
- Errol Flynn (1909–1959) - A famous American film star who made Portland his home. His wife, Patrice Wymore Flynn, lived there until she passed away in 2014.
- Duke Reid (1915–1975) - A well-known Jamaican disc jockey and music producer.
- Roy Reid (born 1937) - A Jamaican painter who grew up in Portland.
- Rustie Lee (born 1949) - A Jamaican television personality, chef, actress, and singer.
See also
In Spanish: Parroquia de Portland para niños
