CRISTBAL

Atlantic terminal port, Coln province, north central Panama, adjoining Coln city. Both Cristbal and Coln were named for Cristbal Coln (Christopher Columbus). Located on an isthmus (made of artificial fill) that connects Manzanillo Island with the mainland, Cristbal was conceived in 1914 as a port of entry for supplies used in building the Panama Canal. Until 1979 it remained under the jurisdiction of the United States, as part of the former Canal Zone, while the larger city of Coln was Panamanian. Extensive modern docks and other maritime servicing facilities, together with commodious anchorages in Limn Bay protected by breakwaters, make Cristbal one of the key ports in the Caribbean Sea. Pop. (1980) corregimento, 7,959.