<prompt> Translate the following text to EnglishKama chanzo cha mbao za ujenzi wa meli katika eneo muhimu, kisiwa hicho kilikuwa kingpin katika milki ya kibiashara ya mbali, na ikawa koloni ya kwanza ya Jamhuri iliyoanzishwa rasmi nje ya nchi.  <response>: As a source of shipbuilding timber in a key location, the island was a kingpin in the far flung commercial empire, and became the Republics first formally constituted overseas colony. 