Province of Tierra Firme
Province of Tierra Firme Provincia de Tierra Firme | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1498–1542 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spanish map of the Tierra Firme | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Province of the Crown of Castile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Santa María la Antigua del Darién Panama City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Catholicism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1492-1516 | Ferdinand II and Isabella I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1516–1556 | Charles I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Spanish Empire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1498 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Creation of the Viceroyalty of Peru | 1542 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Peso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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During Spain's New World Empire, its mainland coastal possessions surrounding the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico were referred to collectively as the Spanish Main. The southern portion of these coastal possessions – the northern portion of South America, the Pacific Coast of Colombia and Mexico, and Central America – were known as the Province of Tierra Firme (Spanish: Provincia de Tierra Firme), or the "Mainland Province" (as contrasted with Spain's nearby insular colonies).: 15 The Province of Tierra Firme, or simply Tierra Firme, was also called Costa Firme.