[4][5] This province has traditionally been focused on commerce (through the Colón Free Zone, Panama Canal, and its banking activities), but also has natural resources that are being developed as a tourist attraction, such as coral reefs and rainforests.

They imported many black African slaves to this area to work in Panama and to ship to other Spaniard colonies.

These terms have proven crucial[citation needed] in establishing that these are the first and original black people of the Republic of Panama.

Later many black people from all over the Caribbean and West Indies, especially from Jamaica and Barbados, settled here between the years of 1880 and 1901 to build the Panama Canal.

This group of Caribbean and/or West Indian origin are called Afro Antillanos by the Hispanic Panamanians.