What was the name of the first permanent English colony established in North America?

Jamestown, founded in 1607, is recognized as the first permanent English colony in North America. Established by the Virginia Company, its location in present-day Virginia was chosen primarily for its strategic advantages, including a relatively defensible position and access to navigable waters. The settlement faced numerous challenges, including hostile relations with Native American tribes, disease, and food shortages, yet it ultimately laid the foundation for future English colonization in America.

Plymouth, while significant as the site of the Pilgrims' settlement in 1620, was not the first permanent colony; it came after Jamestown. Roanoke is often referred to as the "Lost Colony" because it was established in 1585 but ultimately failed to survive, with its inhabitants mysteriously disappearing. Charleston, founded much later in 1670, became a major port city but was also not the first permanent English settlement.