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The peninsula is home to forty percent of Newfoundland's population, and is the location of the capital, St. John's. It is connected to the main section of the island by the 5 km/3 mi-wide Isthmus of Avalon . The peninsula protrudes into the rich fishing zones near the Grand Banks. Its four major bays-- Trinity Bay , Placentia Bay , St. Mary's Bay , and Conception Bay --have long been the centre of Newfoundland's fishing industry.

The peninsula was one of the first European inhabited areas in North America, with the first permanent settlement established at Cuper's Cove in 1610. Sir George Calvert was later given a large land holding on the peninsula. The initial colony of Ferryland grew to a population of 100 becoming the first successful permanent settlement on Newfoundland island. In 1623 Calvert was given a Royal Charter extending his lands and granting them the name Province of Avalon "in imitation of Old Avalon in Somersetshire wherein Glassenbury stands, the first fruits of Christianity in Britain as the other was in that party of America." Calvert wished to make the colony a refuge for Roman Catholics facing persecution in EnglandEngland is the largest, the most populous, and the most densely populated of the four " Home Nations" which make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). Occupying the south-eastern portion of the island of Great Britain, England. In 1625 Calvert was made the first Lord Baltimore in recognition of his achievements.

The charter created the province as a palatinateA palatinate is an area administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crown's overlordship. Germany More particularly, the Palatinate (German die Pfal in which Calvert had absolute authority.

A series of crises and calamaties led Calvert to quit the colony in 1629 for "some other warmer climate of this new world" which turned out to be MarylandThe Province of Maryland was one of the 13 colonies that went on to establish the United States. Charter The charter for Maryland Colony an English territory in North America, was granted to Caecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, on June 20, 1632. Some h though his family was to maintain agents to govern Avalon until 1637 when the entire island of Newfoundland was granted by charter to Sir David KirkeSir David Kirke (ca. 1597-1654) was an English adventurer, colonizer and governor. Kirke was raised at English occupied Dieppe. In 1627 Kirke's father and several London merchants formed a company to encourage trade and settlement on the St. Lawrence Rive and James Hamilton, 1st Duke of HamiltonJames Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton ( June 19, 1606 March 9, 1649), Scottish nobleman, son of James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton, and of the Lady Anne Cunningham, daughter of the earl of Glencairn, was born on 19 June 1606. As the descendant and re.

Calvert's son, Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, fought against the new charter and, in 1660, gained official recognition of the old Charter of Avalon but never attempted to retake the colony.

See also:

• British colonization of the Americas