Jamaica Capitals

Kingston is the capital city of Jamaica, as well as Jamaica’s largest city. Kingston was founded on July 22, 1692, as a sanctuary for survivors of the earthquake in Port Royal, which was the capital city at the time. It was made the capital in 1872 after Spanish Town in St. Catherine and remained so even after independence in 1962. The city rests on the southeast coast of the country. It is bordered by the Blue Mountains, Red Hills, Long Mountain, and is located on the alluvial Liguanea Plain which is positioned next to the Hope River.

Jamaica's population is mainly centered on the urbanized cities. According to the 2016 estimates, Kingston had a population of around 937,700 people, followed by Spanish Town with a population of 145,018, and Portmore with about 102,861 people.

The capital city of Kingston is home to some major tourist attractions. Among these attractions are the National Gallery of Jamaica, the Shaare Shalom Synagogue, and the University of the West Indies Museum. Kingston is also home to a number of impressive public parks. These parks include St William Grant Park, Norman Gardens, Hope Gardens, Emancipation Park, Bournemouth Gardens, Devon House, National Heroes' Park, and Mandela Park.

Influenced by its coastal location, Kingston experiences a tropical climate. The climate is characterized by moderately wet periods from May all through to November, and a dry season from December to April in every year. Because Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt of the Atlantic Ocean, Kingston is sometimes hit by storms and hurricanes. The average temperature in the capital is 27°C. On average, the highest temperatures experienced throughout the months lie at 31°C in June to November while the lowest temperature is 22°C in January and February. During the rainy season, Kingston is among the places with the smallest amount of rain and the most sunshine all through the year compared to other locations in Jamaica.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Kingston
Languages	English, English patois
Ethnic Groups	Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.)
Religion	Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.)
Government	Parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Independance	6 August 1962 (from the UK)
Area	10,991.00 km²
Water Area	160.00 km²
Land Area	10,831.00 km²
Population	2,970,340.00 Population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel
Location	Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
GDP(PPP)	$25,390,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$9,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States, Canada, and Russia.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, and yams.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts, and machinery.
Climate	Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain	Mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Learn More	Jamaica

Jamaica Capitals

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