San Andrés and Providencia Department

Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (Spanish: Archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina); or colloquially San Andrés y Providencia is one of the departments of Colombia. It consists of two island groups about 775 km (482 mi) northwest of Colombia and 220 km (140 mi) from the coast of Nicaragua, and eight outlying banks and reefs. Its capital is San Andrés. The name is sometimes abbreviated to "Archip. de San A... More

Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (Spanish: Archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina); or colloquially San Andrés y Providencia is one of the departments of Colombia. It consists of two island groups about 775 km (482 mi) northwest of Colombia and 220 km (140 mi) from the coast of Nicaragua, and eight outlying banks and reefs. Its capital is San Andrés. The name is sometimes abbreviated to "Archip. de San Andres". The official website abbreviates it as San Andrés ("Gobernación de San Andrés"). ISO 3166-2:CO lists it as "San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina". Statoids lists it as "San Andrés y Providencia". In 1630, Providence Island was settled by English Puritans, under the aegis of the Providence Island Company. These Puritans decided to settle this promising tropical island rather than cold, rocky New England, but they did not succeed in building a colony similar to New England. They established slave-worked plantations and engaged in...

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