Kingston is the capital of Jamaica. More than 1.2 million people live in the greater Kingston area on a plain between the sea and the mountain slopes, which rise up to 2,250 meters high. Kingston has been the seat of government since 1872. The city can be roughly divided into Downtown, Midtown, Uptown, East Kingston, West Kingston and the area of the villa districts on the mountain slopes. Downtown is the historic old town with its checkerboard-like street layout. To the south were the old port facilities with wooden piers. They were demolished in the 1960s. Today, there are banks and government buildings on Ocean Boulevard. A little further north you reach the parade ground, with the theater on the north side. It was only at the end of the last century that the open space was converted into William Grant Park with trees and benches. To the north, this part of the city is bordered by the former oval race track. Today it is the National Heros Park with monuments and government buildings on the edges. Midtown is New Kingston with its neighbouring districts. This new district was planned after independence, and there are high-rise buildings spread out over a wide area. Banks, insurance companies, embassies, hotels, the botanical gardens, the zoo and the university campus. In between you will find Jamaica House and Kings House, the offices of the Governor General and the Prime Minister. But also the Bob Marley Museum and Devon House, an excellently preserved mansion from 1881 that is used as a museum. The former stables now house shops and restaurants. Uptown is a purely residential area north of Washington Boulevard. Washington Boulevard is the main road from Kingston towards Spanish Town. The private Constant Spring Golf Club is located in this district. East Kingston is a problematic district between Mountain View Avenue and Up Park Camp. There are regular shootouts with or between drug dealers. Up Park Camp is the headquarters of the Jamaican army. West Kingston is famous - notorious - located on both sides of Spanish Town Road. Famous for the Bob Marley song "Trench Town Rock", notorious for the gang wars that left many dead. On one side are the industrial plants, petrol tank depots, a power station, the new container port, the Tinson Pen regional airport, the Red Stripe brewery and rum warehouse. On the other side, between Trench Town and Washington Boulevard, you can find the simple huts of the slum dwellers. Parts of the slums are regularly bulldozed by the government, but social housing is only built to a small extent. Above all, the higher earners live along the slopes in the north of Kingston, in protected housing complexes with large gardens, the higher and cooler the more expensive. The names of the districts reflect this: Beverly Hills, Cherry Gardens, Cedar Valley, Plantaiton Heights and Sterling Castle.
Devon House, 26 Hope Road, Kingston. Tel.: 929-6602. Shopping arcade.
The mansion itself is open with changing exhibitions Tues. - Sat. 10:00
a.m. - 5:00 p.m., admission 110 JA $. As the grounds are also used by
the government and large companies for representative purposes, access
may be closed on certain days. Open: daily 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Price:
free admission.
Gordon House, Duke Street / Beeston Street. The House
of Lords and the House of Commons, Parliament and the Legislative
Assembly meet here. The inconspicuous building was built in 1960 and was
named after the national hero George William Gordon. George W. Gordon
was an elected member of the island administration in the mid-18th
century. The building can be visited by appointment.
Headquarter
House, 79 Duke Street. Tel.: 922-1287-88, Fax: 967-1703. The house was
originally owned by Thomas Hibbert. He was Speaker of Parliament in
1756. When Parliament met in Kingston, people met in his house. It was
generally known as Hibbert House at the time. In 1814, the War Office
bought the building for the West India Regiment. It served as the
residence of the commanding officer. When the building was taken over by
the army, it was given the name Headquarters House. After that, the
Colonial Office used the property. In 1872, the government bought the
property for ₤5,000 and made it a permanent meeting place. The
Legislative Assembly met there until 1960. Since 1983, the building has
housed the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), the heritage
authority. Visitors are welcome.
Ward Theater. On the north side of
William Grant Park, the steel-blue building of the Ward Theater catches
the eye. The first theater was founded on the island in the 1750s. Two
theaters previously stood on the site of the current Ward Theater. After
the severe earthquake of 1907, large parts of the city were replanned
and rebuilt. The rum baron Colonel Charles J. Ward gave the theater to
the city as a gift. It is a reinforced concrete building in a classic
style. It has space for over 800 visitors. The interior has hardly
changed since it was completed in 1912. In January 2000, the building
was declared a national monument. But the theater is facing hard times.
The building needs a new roof, new seating, a new curtain, air
conditioning and a parking lot. The population of downtown Kingston has
no connection with this cultural venue. The rich and art-loving
residents avoid the district in the evenings and at night.
Bob Marley Museum, 56 Hope Road, Kingston. Tel.: 927-9152, Fax:
978-4906. Bob Marley's former home and the Tuff Gong Studios housed
therein have been preserved in their original state. Personal items of
the singer, platinum records of the Wailers, photos and posters hang on
the walls. A short film about the group is shown. There is a souvenir
shop and a restaurant. A statue of Marley stands in front of the house.
Guided tours take place every hour from 9:30 a.m. Filming and
photography is strictly prohibited. Open: Mon - Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Price: Admission: 20 USD.
Coin and Notes Museum, Bank of Jamaica
Building, Ocean Boulevard, Kingston. The development of Jamaican money
is shown. There is a collection of old coins and banknotes. Open: Mon -
Fri 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
National Art Gallery, Roy West Building, 12 Ocean
Boulevard / Kingston Mall (entrance: Orange Street), Kingston. Tel.:
922-1561, Fax: 922-8544. This art exhibition features such famous
painters and sculptors as Edna Manley. A statue of Bob Marley can also
be seen there. Open: Closed on Mondays, Tuesday - Thursday 10 a.m. -
4:30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sunday
for special exhibitions by special announcement. Price: Admission: 400
JA $ for adults, children and students free with ID.
National Heroes Park. Originally this was Kingston's horse racing
track. The complex is also known as George VI Memorial Park or simply as
the Racecourse. There is a large memorial stone on the south side.
National heroes Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley
are buried in its shadow. There are other statues in the park, one
commemorating Paul Bogle, one of the South American freedom hero Simon
Bolivar and a third of the Cuban freedom fighter General Antoneo Maceo.
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education are on the south
side of the square.
William Grant Park. Former parade ground with a
varied history. In 1694 a fortification was built there, the cannons of
which were aimed at the harbor. In 1870 the last remnants of the complex
were demolished. A parade ground was built for the British military,
Victoria Park, named after Queen Victoria, whose life-size statue stood
on the square. This square was not only used for military parades, it
was also the site of the gallows. After Jamaica became independent, the
square was given its current name in 1977. Statues of Alexander
Bustamante and Norman Manley were added to the statue of the Queen. At
the end of the 1980s, the park was completely rebuilt.
University of
the West Indies (UWI). University on the site of the former Mona and
Papine sugar plantations. In 1948, the university began operations with
33 medical students. Branches of the university can also be found in St.
Augustine, on the island of Trinidad and in Cave Hill on Barbados.
Today, the university offers the departments of engineering, art,
agriculture, teacher training, medicine, natural sciences, law and
social sciences. In cooperation with the Atomic Energy Authority of
Canada, there is a small research unit in the nuclear field. On the
university grounds you can also find interesting buildings such as the
water aqueduct of the Hope Plantation, the construction of which began
in 1758, and the university chapel, the building blocks of which came
from the Gayle sugar plantation near Falmouth.
Rock Fort. Named the
end of the harbor over 300 years ago, it was fortified in 1694 as
protection against a French invasion. In 1729, there were 17 cannons
there. In 1753 and 1755, the fort was expanded. It now consisted of two
bastions with a total of 21 cannons, another fortification with 6
cannons and a powder chamber. There was also a drawbridge on the east
side. Today, the remains of the complex are located right on the edge of
the main road. Next door is the mineral bath, Windward Road, Tel.
938-6551. The spring has been there since the earthquake of 1907. The
cold water is slightly saline and radioactive. In addition to a large
public bathing pool, there are 11 individual baths of different sizes. A
maximum bathing time of one hour is permitted. The complex is
handicapped accessible and there is a cafeteria, juice bar, changing
rooms and lockers. Opening times: Tue - Sun 7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults $2.50, children $1.50, single bath $12, massages $30.
Royal Botanical Gardens, Old Hope Road, Kingston. Tel.: 927-1257, Fax: 977-4853. The 20 hectare botanical garden is part of the former sugar plantation of Major Richard Hope, who came to Jamaica with the British invasion army in 1655. The first stone aqueducts were built there around 1758. They channel the water of the Hope River and are still part of the city's water supply today. In 1881 the state acquired part of the plantation and founded the Hope Botanical Garden. At first a large part of it was used as an experimental farm. New types of sugar cane, coffee from Liberia, cocoa from Trinidad and pineapples were planted there. Until the great earthquake in Kingston in 1907, you could take a tram from the center to the botanical garden. It is the largest of its kind in the Caribbean. The park was given its current name on the occasion of the visit of the British Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Today there is also a small zoo and a restaurant there. The botanical garden is not in the best condition, the zoo has been partially renovated and expanded in recent years. Open: daily 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., admission free. The zoo is open daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., admission US$0.50.
Fitness club
Campion Pep Up Gym, Old Hope Road, opposite St. Peter
& Paul Church. Tel.: 978-9947.
Spartan Health Club, 9 Lady Musgrave
Road, New Kingston. Tel.: 927-7575. Price: Non-members pay US$15.
Golf
Cable & Wireless National Golf Academy, New Kingston. Tel.:
908-4783.
Constant Spring Golf Club. Tel.: 755-2066, 924-1610.
18-hole course, laid out in 1920 by Stanley Thompson from Scotland, par
70, 6,096 yards, clubhouse, bar, restaurant, pool, tennis court, pro
shop. Price: Fees: Green fee: US$35, caddy: US$9.
Marinas
Royal Jamaican Yacht Club, Palisadoes Park. Tel.: 924-8685-86. 120
berths, 3-ton crane, pool, restaurant and bar, fuel and water.
Mini golf
Putt N`Play Mini Golf, 78 Knutsford Boulevard. Tel.:
906-4814. 18-hole mini golf course with mini waterfall and lake
landscape. Open: Mon - Thurs 5 p.m. - 11 p.m., Fri 5 p.m. - midnight,
Sat + Sun 11 a.m. - midnight. Price: Admission: Adults US $4.25,
children US $2.50.
Sporting events
The National Stadium,
Arthur Wint Drive. Tel.: 929-4970. Football, concerts.
Sabina
Park, South Camp Road. Tel.: 967-0322. Cricket Arena, 30,000 seats.
Diving / Diving wrecks
The wreck of the "Cayman Trader" is
located off Kingston in a water depth of 10-17 m. It sank over 30 years
ago and is still in good condition. The British warship "HMT Texas" sank
in the main shipping lane to the inner harbor area on July 19, 1944
after a collision. The wreck is located at a depth of 30 m. Several
anchors and cannons can be found on the horseshoe-shaped wreck reef, and
sharks are also regularly found there.
By plane
The Norman Manley International Airport is located on a
narrow headland 18 km from Kingston. This headland, The Palisadoes, is
in places barely wider than the road to the airport, it encloses the
natural harbor of Kingston, at the end of which is the town of Port
Royal. The high seas associated with hurricanes can lead to the airport
being closed for days. For years, there have been discussions about
expanding a former World War II airfield south of May Pen into a third
international airport on the island.
The Norman Manley airport is
mainly used by business people and cargo planes. There are flights to
and from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the USA, Canada and London.
For this reason, there is no extensive infrastructure, like in Montego
Bay.
By taxi, you pay 17 USD for the 30-minute journey to
Kingston. Bus number 96 runs regularly to Kingston via South Camp Road
and Half Way Tree. The journey takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on
the time of day and traffic density.
By train
25 years ago
there were wonderful railway connections from Kingston across the island
to Montego Bay and Port Antonio. The route to Port Antonio led through
the foothills of the Blue Mountains. There were deep valleys, tunnels,
and routes along river banks and directly by the sea. After heavy
rainfall, tunnel entrances were often blocked, and this route was the
first to be closed. A few years later, the line to Montego Bay was also
closed. The railway lines maintained and used by the aluminum ore
companies are still in operation. On the other hand, the development
plans for Portmore show a railway line to Kingston. But as always, there
are no investors here.
By bus
From the west, north and east, a
first-class national road leads into the city. From the west, you can
reach Kingston via the A 1 via Spanish Town, from the east the A 4 comes
from Morant Bay. On the north coast, buses run from Montego Bay on the
coastal road to Saint Ann's Bay or Ocho Rios, and from there across the
island to Spanish Town.
Public transport - bus lines:
The
Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTU) is responsible for bus services
between Kingston, Portmore and Spanish Town. Traffic is particularly
chaotic during rush hour. * http://jutc.com
In Kingston there are
four central stops: Papine, Half Way Tree with a new, very large,
covered bus station, Cross Roads and Downtown - the bus station has just
been completed there.
On the road
As a driver, you have to
find your way around six to ten streets in Kingston, then you can get
through the traffic easily and generally without major traffic jams.
There are also many one-way streets here that are not marked and many,
many traffic lights.
Coming from the west, you always reach the
city limits of Kingston at the junction of Washington Boulevard and
Spanish Town Road. Washington Boulevard continues straight ahead with
wide, open verges until, after 6.5 km, it ends as Dunrobin Avenue at a
right angle to Constant Spring Road, which is roughly the center of the
city.
Spanish Town Road runs for 8.5 km in a straight line in a
southeasterly direction, mostly through an industrial area, and then
ends downtown at Paradeplatz. About halfway there is a large roundabout.
On one side the road branches off to Portmore, on the other Hagley Park
Road leads to the Half Way Tree clock tower.
The extension of
Hagley Park Road beyond the Half Way Tree intersection leads as Hope
Road and later as Old Hope Road across the entire city to the university
campus.
Constant Spring Road comes from far north of the city and
ends at the Half Way Tree clock tower. On the other side of the
intersection, Half Way Tree Road takes us to the large Cross Roads
intersection.
Old Hope Road begins at this intersection. Running
northeast, Old Hope Road meets Hope Road after almost 4km.
The
extension of Half Way Tree Road is Slipe Road. Heading south, it ends
downtown at Paradeplatz.
Mountain View Avenue is a fast
connecting road branching off from Old Hope Road to the south, along the
foot of the Long Mountains, almost to the harbor, where it meets
Windward Road at a right angle.
Windward Road begins as Queen
Street at Paradeplatz, then becomes Victoria Avenue for a very short
stretch and ends at the end of the harbor at a roundabout to the
airport.
Rental cars
Avis, 1 Merrick Avenue, Half-Way-Tree. Tel.: 926-8021,
Fax: 926-9406.
Caribbean Car Rentals, 31 Hope Road, Kingston 6. Tel.:
926-6339, 929-4817. Open: Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m.
- 2:00 p.m., Sun + public holidays 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fiesta Car
Rentals, 14 Waterloo Road, Half-Way-Tree. Tel.: 926-0133, 926-8386, Fax:
929-3801.
Island Car Rentals, 17 Antigua Avenue / Trafalgar Road, New
Kingston. Tel.: 926-8861, Fax: 929-6987.
Kosmo Car Rental,
Trafalgar Road / Lords Road, New Kingston. Tel.: 920-1192-93, Fax:
920-1194.
Car Rental – Norman Manley Airport
Avis. Tel.:
924-8542.
Island Car Rentals. Tel.: 924-8075, Fax: 924-8389.
Kosmo
Car Rental. Tel.: 924-8775, 924-8388.
There are many shopping opportunities in Kingston. Even here in the
city of a million people, you can see wicker furniture and other woven
goods on the side of the road, or find wooden shacks in which wood
carvings and colorful fabrics are piled up, or a truck on the side of
the road loaded with watermelons, oranges or plantains, everything is
for sale. Only the large shopping centers are listed below.
Washington Boulevard is the main access road from the direction of
Spanish Town.
Boulevard Super Center, Washington Boulevard / Elma
Crescent, pharmacy, bank, 4 restaurants and a supermarket Duhaney Park
Plaza, Washington Boulevard / Duhaney Drive, pharmacy, restaurant and
supermarket
Constant Spring Road is a three-lane one-way street
heading south, it is located directly north of the New Kingston district
and ends at the large intersection with the Half Way Tree clock tower.
There, one shopping center is lined up next to the other on both sides
of the road, each shopping center also has a parking lot.
Challenge Centre Market Place, 67 Constant Spring Road. 3 restaurants.
Central Plaza, 15 Constant Spring Road. Pharmacy, 8 shops.
Pavilion
Shopping Mall, 13 Constant Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree. 12 shops, 2
restaurants, supermarket.
Kings Plaza Cybiz Internet Café, Shop 32,
38 Constant Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree. Tel: 906-4749.
Clock Tower
Plaza, 11 Hope Road, Half-Way-Tree junction. Pharmacy, over 10 shops, 3
restaurants.
The Springs Plaza, 17 Constant Spring Road. 11 shops,
optician, restaurant.
The Village Plaza, 24 Constant Spring Road,
Half-Way-Tree. 5 shops, restaurant.
Tropical Plaza, 12 1/2 Constant
Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree. Bank, 10 shops.
Twin Gates Plaza, 25 1/2
- 27 1/2 Constant Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree. Pharmacy, bank, 12 shops,
supermarket.
Manor Park Plaza, 184 Constant Spring Road. Tel.:
969-5792. Pharmacy, 2 banks, 15 shops, optician, 3 restaurants, 2
supermarkets.
Premier Plaza, 12 Constant Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree.
11 shops, 2 restaurants.
Princeville Commercial Centre, 95-97
Constant Spring Road. 12 shops, restaurant.
The Mall Plaza, 20
Constant Spring Road, Half-Way-Tree. Pharmacy, 12 shops, optician, 2
restaurants.
At the Half Way Tree clock tower turn left into Hope
Road. On Hope Road are Devon House, Jamaica House, Kings House and Bob
Marley Museum. Hope Road turns into Old Hope Road and leads to the
university campus and then continues as Gordon Town Road to the Blue
Mountain mountains.
Devon House Shopping Arcades, 26 Hope Road,
Devon House. Tel.: 929-6602. 10 shops, mainly for tourists, and a
restaurant.
Liguanea Lane Plaza, 121 Old Hope Road. Tel.: 977-5359.
Pharmacy, 8 shops, 2 fast food restaurants, 2 supermarkets.
Liguanea
Plaza, 134 Old Hope Road. 4 shops, supermarket.
Liguanea Post Mall.
Restaurant.
The Sovereign Centre, 106 Hope Road, Liguanea. Bank, 18
shops, cinema, optician, 3 restaurants, supermarket.
There are
three more shopping centres in the New Kingston district.
Island
Life Shopping Centre, 6 Saint Lucia Avenue, New Kingston. Modern,
two-storey building with an unusual blue glass facade. The business area
is spread over two floors with around 50 shops. These are mainly
computer companies and lawyers. There is also a bank, a cinema and
restaurants. There is a car park on the roof. Open: Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm.
New Kingston Shopping Centre, 30 Dominica Drive. Pharmacy, 11 shops,
optician, 2 restaurants, supermarket and dental clinic.
Spanish Court
Shopping Center, 1 Saint Lucia Avenue.
If you drive further south
from New Kingston to the harbor, you will almost inevitably come to King
Street, where there are more shops.
In Kingston you will have to make do with national cuisine, but it is
affordable. There are one or two good Indian restaurants and a large
number of Chinese restaurants.
Cheap
Chilito's, Hope Road.
Tel.: 978-0537. Mexican and vegetarian cuisine. Open: Mon - Sat 12:00 -
22:00. Price: Around 10 USD.
China Garden, Dominica Drive, New
Kingston. Tel.: 929-7458, Fax: 968-1846. Chinese cuisine. Open: Mon -
Sat 11:00 - 21:30. Price: Around 10 USD.
Earl's Juice Garden, Haining
Road, New Kingston. Tel.: 920-1677, Fax: 906-4287. Vegetarian dishes.
Open: Mon - Fri 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Price:
Up to 10 USD.
Medium
Bamboo Village, The Village Plaza,
Constant Spring Road. Tel.: 929-2389. Chinese. Open: Mon - Sat 11:30
a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Sun 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Price: 10-15 USD.
Cuddy'z Restaurant & Sports Bar, New Kingston Shopping Centre. Tel.:
920-8019, Fax: 968-0495. Jamaican cuisine. Open: Mon - Thu 11:30 a.m. -
11:30 p.m., Fri + Sat 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m., Sun 12:00 p.m. - 11:00
p.m. Price: 5-15 USD.
Dragon Court, Dragon Centre, South Avenue,
Half-Way-Tree. Tel.: 920-8477, Fax: 960-0786. Chinese. Open: Mon - Fri
12:00 - 22:00, Sat + Sun 10:00 - 22:00. Price: 10-15 USD.
Golden
Bowl, Cargill Avenue, Half-Way-Tree. Tel.: 929-8556, Fax: 926-2001.
Chinese. Open: Mon - Sat 11:00 - 21:00, Sun 12:00 - 19:00. Price: 10-15
USD.
Heather's Garden, garden restaurant on Haining Road, New
Kingston. Tel.: 926-2826. Jamaican and Middle Eastern cuisine. Regular
live music. Open: Mon - Fri 11:30am - 11:30pm, Sat 5pm - 11:30pm. Price:
$10-15.
Indies Pub & Grill, Holborn Road, opposite Indies Hotel, New
Kingston. Tel: 920-5913. Jamaican cuisine, very dim lighting. Open: Mon
- Fri 11am - midnight, Sat 11am - 1am. Price: $6.50-20, pizza, $6.50-23.
Jamrock Sports Bar & Grill, 69 Knutsford Boulevard. Tel: 754-4033, Fax:
754-4032. Jamaican cuisine, loud music.
Legend, Bob Marley Museum,
Hope Road. Tel: 631-1309. Simple Jamaican cuisine. Open: Mon - Sat 9am -
5pm. Price: $10-15.
Lyme Key Restaurant & Bar, Chelsea Avenue, New
Kingston. Tel: 791-0089, Fax: 908-3009. Jamaican cuisine. Open: daily
11am - midnight. Price: $10-15.
Shang Hai, Liguanea Post Mall. Tel:
946-3218. Chinese. Open: Mon - Sat 12pm - 9.30pm, Sun 9.30am - 2pm.
Price: $10-15.
Upscale
Akbar, 11 Holborn Road, New Kingston. Tel:
926-3480. Very Indian. Open: daily 12:00 - 3:30 p.m. + 6:00 - 10:30 p.m.
East Japanese Restaurant, Challenge Centre Market Place, Constant Spring
Road. Tel.: 960-3962, Fax: 960-3594. Japanese cuisine. Open: daily 11:30
a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Jewl of India, Market Place, Constant Spring Road.
Tel.: 906-3983, Fax: 906-3984. Indian. Open: daily 11:30 a.m. - 10:00
p.m. Price: 16-25 USD.
Norma's on the Terrace, Devon House. Tel.:
968-5488, Fax: 926-0892. Jamaican cuisine. Open: Mon - Sat 10:00 a.m. -
10:00 p.m. Price: 15-40 USD.
Red Bones Blues Café, Braemer Avenue,
New Kingston. Tel.: 978-6091, Fax: 978-8262. Jamaican cuisine. Open: Mon
- Fri 12pm - 11pm, Sat 6pm - 11pm. Price: 15-25 USD.
Rib Kage Bar &
Grill, Steakhouse, Constant Spring Road, Uptown. Tel.: 742-5243.
Steakhouse. Open: Mon - Thu 11am - 10.30pm, Fri + Sat 11am - 11.30pm,
Sun 1pm - 9pm.
Asylum Night Club, 69 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston. Tel:
906-1828-29. Open: Tue-Sun 5pm-2am. Price: Entrance fee JA$200-300.
Carlos Café, 22 Belmont Road, New Kingston. Tel: 906-1419, 926-4186.
Open: Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 3pm-2am.
Jonkanoo Night Club, Hilton
Hotel, New Kingston. Tel: 926-5430. By the pool. Open: 10pm-2am.
Mingles, Courtleigh Hotel, 85 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston. Tel:
929-9000. Open: Tue - Sun 5pm - 3am. Price: Admission: $200.
Peppers
Night Club, 31 Upper Waterloo Road, Half-Way-Tree. Tel.: 969-2421.
Quad, 20-22 Trinidad Terrace, New Kingston. Tel.: 754-7823, Fax:
931-7492. The Quad consists of 4 clubs, Christopher's Jazz Café. No
young people under 18, no cameras. Open: Mon, Tue + Thu 4pm - midnight,
Fri + Sat 4pm - 3am; Oxygen Night Club and Voodoo Lounge: from 10pm.
Price: Admission: $10.
Red Bones Blues Café, Braemer Avenue, New
Kingston. Tel.: 978-6091, Fax: 978-8262. Regular blues and jazz music.
Open: Mon - Fri 12pm - 11pm, Sat 6pm - 11pm.
The Polo Lounge, Pegasus
Hotel, New Kingston. Tel.: 926-3690. Open: daily 4.30pm - midnight.
Village Café, 20 Barbican Road, Barbican. Tel.: 970-4861.
The Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Drive, Cross Roads. Tel.: 926-6129.
600 seats.
Ward Theatre, North Parade, Downtown. Tel.: 922-0453.
1,000 seats.
Cheap
Indies Hotel, 5 Holborn Road, New Kingston. Tel.: 926-2952,
Fax: 926-2879. 15 rooms, the hotel has been family-owned for 50 years.
Price: Single room 45 – 75 USD, double room 80 – 85 USD with air
conditioning and TV, breakfast restaurant and bar in the courtyard,
restaurant across the street.
Christar Villas, 99-A Hope Road. Tel.:
978-3933, Fax: 978-8068. 22 suites + studios, Palm Restaurant, Vibes
Sports Bar, pool, gym and jacuzzi, 4 conference rooms. Price: Rooms from
87€.
Medium
Altamont Court, 1-5 Altamont Terrace, New
Kingston. Tel.: 929-4497-98, Fax: 929-2118. 58 rooms and suites. All
rooms with breakfast, balcony, shower, internet access, air
conditioning, safe and TV. Pool, 3 conference rooms. Open: Mango Tree
Restaurant & Bar: daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. Price: double room from 128
USD, suite from 180 USD.
Four Seasons Hotel, 18 Ruthven Road, New
Kingston. Tel.: 929-7655, Fax: 929-5964. 19 standard and 57 deluxe, 2
bars, pool, fitness room, 3 conference rooms. Open: restaurant with
German cuisine, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Price: rooms from 96 USD.
The
Courtleigh Hotel, 85 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston. Tel.: 929-9000,
Fax: 926-7744. 88 rooms and 30 suites, pool, fitness room (open 24
hours), conference room, Mingles nightclub, handicapped accessible.
10-story high-rise. Open: Alexander's Restaurant + Bar: daily 7:00 a.m.
- 10:00 a.m. + 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. + 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., bar open
all day.
Upscale
Hilton Kingston, 77 Knutsford Boulevard, New
Kingston. Tel.: 926-5430, Fax: 929-7439. 303 rooms, pool, fitness
center, business center, 6 conference rooms, floodlit tennis courts,
18-story high-rise. Open: Palm Court Restaurant, 2nd floor: Mon - Sat
11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Pool Bar & Grill: 12:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., live
music every evening from 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Terrace Café: Mon – Sat
6:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Junkanoo Night Club: Wed – Sun 8:00 p.m. – 1:00
a.m.; The Rendezvous Bar: Mon – Sat 5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., live music
from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Price: Double room from 119 USD.
Jamaica
Pegasus Hotel, 81 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston. Tel.: 926-3691-99,
Fax: 929-0593. 300 rooms and suites. Pool, souvenir shop, fitness
center, 9 conference rooms, 2 floodlit tennis courts, wellness center,
handicapped accessible, 17-story high-rise. Open: 24 Seven Cafe Deli,
buffet restaurant, The Columbus Restaurant: daily 6:00 p.m. – 10:30
p.m., Polo Lounge: daily 4:30 p.m. – midnight, Pool Bar: daily 10:00
a.m. – midnight. Price: Single room 280-350 USD, double room 300-370
USD, suite 400-800 USD.
Knutsford Court Hotel, 16 Chelsea Avenue, New
Kingston. Tel.: 929-1000, Fax: 960-7373. 143 rooms and suites. Bar,
pool, fitness room. Open: The Melting Pot Restaurant: daily 7:00 a.m. –
10:00 a.m. + 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. + 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Terra
Nova, 17 Waterloo Road, New Kingston. Tel.: 926-2211-12, Fax: 754-9389.
All-suite hotel, 35 suites. 2 restaurants, 2 bars, pool, boutique, gym
(open 24 hours), conference rooms. Open: Monte Carlo Gaming Lounge: Sun
Thurs 11am - 4am, Fri + Sat 11am - 6am.
Before European arrival, the area that would become Kingston was inhabited by the Taíno, an Arawak-speaking indigenous people who called the island “Xaymaca,” meaning “land of wood and water.” Archaeological evidence suggests Taíno settlements thrived along Jamaica’s southeastern coast, relying on fishing, cassava farming, and trade with other Caribbean peoples. The Kingston harbor, one of the world’s finest natural ports, likely served as a gathering point, though no permanent villages are documented at the precise site. The Taíno population, numbering perhaps 60,000 island-wide by 1494, faced rapid decline after Christopher Columbus landed that year, initiating Spanish colonization and introducing diseases like smallpox that decimated their numbers.
Spain claimed Jamaica in 1494, establishing its first capital at Sevilla la Nueva (near present-day St. Ann’s Bay) in 1509, followed by Villa de la Vega (now Spanish Town) in 1534. The Kingston area remained sparsely settled during this period, overshadowed by Spanish Town’s role as the administrative center. The Spanish enslaved the Taíno and later imported Africans to work plantations and ranches, but their focus on gold elsewhere in the Americas left Jamaica underdeveloped. By the mid-17th century, the island’s strategic harbor at Kingston—then called Liguanea Plain—was noted but underutilized, serving mainly as a watering stop for ships.
The British captured Jamaica from Spain in 1655 under Oliver
Cromwell’s Western Design, renaming Villa de la Vega “Spanish Town” and
establishing control. The Kingston area gained prominence after this
transition, as Port Royal, across the harbor on the Palisadoes, became a
bustling pirate haven and trade hub dubbed “the wickedest city on
Earth.” By 1692, Port Royal was a thriving port of 6,500, rich from
privateering and the slave trade. However, a catastrophic earthquake on
June 7, 1692, sank two-thirds of Port Royal into the sea, killing over
2,000 and leaving survivors in chaos.
This disaster birthed
Kingston. Refugees from Port Royal, aided by a government land grant,
established a new settlement on the Liguanea Plain, north of the harbor.
Named after King William III of England, Kingston was laid out in a grid
pattern by surveyor John Goffe, with streets like King, Queen, and
Harbour reflecting its royal ties. By 1703, it was declared Jamaica’s
commercial capital, supplanting Port Royal’s role, though Spanish Town
retained political primacy until 1872.
Kingston flourished in the 18th century as a key port in the British
Atlantic economy, driven by sugar, rum, and the transatlantic slave
trade. Its deep harbor—7 miles long and up to 40 feet deep—accommodated
large ships, exporting plantation goods and importing enslaved Africans,
with over 900,000 arriving in Jamaica between 1655 and 1807. The city’s
population grew to 26,000 by 1807, with enslaved Africans vastly
outnumbering whites (10:1), concentrated in urban markets, docks, and
nearby estates like Hope and Mona.
Natural disasters tested
Kingston’s resilience. Hurricanes in 1712, 1722, and 1784 damaged
infrastructure, while fires in 1703, 1780, and 1843 razed parts of the
city, prompting rebuilding with sturdier brick and stone. The 1805
abolition of the British slave trade shifted Kingston’s economy toward
local commerce, though slavery persisted until emancipation in 1834,
followed by full freedom in 1838 after an apprenticeship period. Freed
Africans swelled the city’s ranks, forming communities like Trench Town
and shaping its cultural identity.
Kingston became Jamaica’s political capital in 1872, when Governor
Sir John Peter Grant relocated the government from Spanish Town to
modernize administration amid post-emancipation reforms. The move
cemented Kingston’s dominance, with landmarks like Gordon House (the
legislative seat) and Kingston Parish Church (rebuilt after earlier
fires) symbolizing this shift. The Victorian era saw infrastructure
growth—roads, railways (linking Kingston to Spanish Town by 1845), and
the Palisadoes road—enhancing trade and connectivity.
The city
faced another defining moment with the 1907 earthquake, a 6.2-magnitude
temblor that killed over 800, injured 10,000, and leveled 90% of its
buildings. Fires sparked by overturned oil lamps worsened the
destruction, leaving 40,000 homeless. Reconstruction introduced concrete
and steel structures, with British aid funding projects like the Ward
Theatre (1912), a cultural hub for plays and concerts, reflecting a
resilient spirit.
Kingston entered the 20th century as a colonial hub but faced
economic stagnation during the Great Depression. Labor unrest in the
1930s, led by figures like Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley,
birthed trade unions and political parties—the Jamaica Labour Party
(JLP) and People’s National Party (PNP)—setting the stage for
independence. World War II bolstered Kingston’s port as a British naval
base, but postwar poverty fueled urban migration, swelling shantytowns
like Trench Town.
Jamaica gained independence on August 6, 1962,
with Kingston as its capital, hosting the new parliament at Gordon
House. The 1960s and 70s saw Kingston emerge as a global cultural
powerhouse, driven by reggae music from its ghettos. Bob Marley, born in
nearby Nine Mile but rising to fame from Trench Town, put Kingston on
the map, with landmarks like Tuff Gong Studios and the Bob Marley Museum
(at 56 Hope Road) becoming pilgrimage sites. Political violence between
JLP and PNP factions marred the 1970s, peaking during the 1976 election,
but cultural exports—reggae, dancehall, and Rastafarianism—elevated
Kingston’s international profile.
The 1980s brought economic
challenges under IMF structural adjustment programs, deepening poverty
in areas like West Kingston, yet the city modernized with new hotels and
office towers along New Kingston’s Knutsford Boulevard. The 1990s saw
tourism grow, leveraging Kingston’s harbor and proximity to the Blue
Mountains, though crime remained a persistent issue.
Since 2000, Kingston has balanced growth with its historical legacy.
The 2007 Cricket World Cup spurred upgrades like Sabina Park stadium,
while the 2010 Tivoli Gardens incursion—a violent clash between security
forces and drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke’s militia—exposed ongoing
urban struggles, killing over 70. Recovery efforts revitalized downtown
with projects like the Digicel Tower and waterfront redevelopment,
though the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic slowed tourism and trade.
As of
2025, Kingston thrives as Jamaica’s economic engine, hosting the Stock
Exchange, major banks, and port facilities handling 1.6 million TEUs
annually (2023 data). The city’s metro area spans 189 square miles,
blending gritty neighborhoods like Denham Town with affluent suburbs
like Liguanea and the Blue Mountains’ foothills. Natural disasters—a
5.6-magnitude earthquake in 2023 caused minor damage—continue to test
its resilience, but investments in infrastructure and culture, like the
biennial Jamaica Festival, sustain its vibrancy.
Kingston, Jamaica, the island’s capital and largest city, occupies a distinctive geographic position on the southeastern coast, framed by a dramatic interplay of coastal plains, towering mountains, and one of the world’s finest natural harbors. Spanning approximately 189 square miles (490 square kilometers) in its metropolitan area, Kingston lies within Kingston Parish and extends into parts of St. Andrew Parish, forming a bustling urban expanse with a population of about 671,000 as of recent estimates. Its geography—marked by the Liguanea Plain, the protective Palisadoes spit, and the looming Blue Mountains—has shaped its history as a colonial port, a modern economic hub, and a cultural powerhouse.
Kingston is situated at approximately 17.97°N latitude and 76.79°W
longitude, placing it on Jamaica’s southeastern shore along the
Caribbean Sea. It lies roughly 55 miles (90 kilometers) east of Montego
Bay and 60 miles (97 kilometers) west of Ocho Rios, anchoring the
island’s southern urban corridor. The city’s core occupies Kingston
Parish, one of Jamaica’s smallest parishes at 8.3 square miles (21.5
square kilometers), while the broader Kingston-St. Andrew Metropolitan
Area (KSMA) extends northward into St. Andrew Parish, climbing the
foothills of the Blue Mountains.
Key boundaries include:
North: The Blue Mountains, with peaks like Blue Mountain Peak (7,402
feet) forming a rugged backdrop.
East: The rural St. Thomas Parish
and the Yallahs River valley.
South: The Caribbean Sea, with Kingston
Harbour as the central feature.
West: St. Catherine Parish, including
Spanish Town, Jamaica’s former capital.
This coastal-mountain
configuration positions Kingston as a natural gateway, linking Jamaica’s
interior to global trade routes via its harbor.
Kingston’s topography transitions sharply from sea level to high
elevations within a short distance. The city’s heart rests on the
Liguanea Plain, a flat alluvial expanse averaging 100–200 feet (30–60
meters) above sea level, stretching from the harbor north to the base of
the Blue Mountains. Formed by sediment deposits from rivers like the
Hope and Sandy Gully, this fertile plain—named after the Taíno word for
iguana—underpins Kingston’s urban core, hosting downtown, New Kingston,
and residential zones like Mona.
To the north, the terrain rises
abruptly into the Blue Mountains, a limestone and shale range that
dominates eastern Jamaica. Within Kingston’s metro area, foothills reach
1,000–2,000 feet (300–600 meters), with suburbs like Papine and August
Town perched on slopes offering sweeping views of the city and sea. The
mountains’ steep southern face, a faulted escarpment from tectonic
uplift, contrasts with the gentler northern slopes, creating a rain
shadow effect over Kingston.
The Palisadoes, a narrow,
8-mile-long (13-kilometer) tombolo, extends southwest from the mainland,
enclosing Kingston Harbour and linking Port Royal to Norman Manley
International Airport. This low-lying spit, rarely exceeding 10 feet (3
meters) above sea level, is a sandy, mangrove-fringed barrier that
protects the harbor from open ocean waves, though its vulnerability to
storms shapes Kingston’s coastal dynamics.
Kingston Harbour, the seventh-largest natural harbor globally, is the
city’s defining feature, covering 10 square miles (26 square kilometers)
with depths up to 40 feet (12 meters). Sheltered by the Palisadoes, it
stretches from downtown Kingston to Port Royal, its calm waters
historically luring pirates, merchants, and navies. The harbor’s
entrance, a narrow channel near Port Royal, opens to the Caribbean Sea,
while its shores host docks, warehouses, and the Port of Kingston, a
major transshipment hub handling 1.6 million TEUs annually (2023 data).
Several rivers drain into the harbor or nearby coast:
Hope River:
Flows from the Blue Mountains through St. Andrew, entering the harbor
near Harbour View, its seasonal floods depositing sediment on the plain.
Sandy Gully: A smaller stream cutting through western Kingston, often
dry but prone to flash flooding in the rainy season.
Rio Cobre:
Originates west of Kingston in St. Catherine, reaching the harbor via
Hunts Bay, a polluted inlet reflecting urban runoff challenges.
Smaller gullies and streams, like Duhaney River, crisscross the city,
their concrete channels a response to flood risks in low-lying areas
like Trench Town.
Kingston enjoys a tropical wet-and-dry climate (Köppen Aw), moderated
by its coastal location but warmer and drier than Jamaica’s northern
rainforests due to the Blue Mountains’ rain shadow:
Temperature:
Averages 80°F to 88°F (27°C to 31°C) year-round, with highs occasionally
hitting 95°F (35°C) in summer (June–August). Nights cool to 70°F–75°F
(21°C–24°C), though mountain suburbs like Liguanea are 5–10°F cooler.
Rainfall: Annual precipitation totals 30–40 inches (760–1,000 mm), with
a wet season from May to November (peaking October) bringing 5–7 inches
monthly, often via thunderstorms or hurricanes. The dry season
(December–April) sees 1–2 inches monthly.
Hurricanes: Kingston lies
in Hurricane Alley, with storms like Gilbert (1988) and Ivan (2004)
causing significant damage to the Palisadoes and lowlands.
Humidity hovers at 70–85%, and sea breezes temper the heat, though urban
heat island effects amplify temperatures downtown.
Kingston’s 189 square miles are a mosaic of urban, suburban, and
natural zones:
Urban Core (30% or ~57 square miles): Downtown
Kingston, along the harbor, features a dense grid of colonial-era
streets (King, Queen, Harbour) with concrete buildings, warehouses, and
modern towers like the Digicel Building in New Kingston. Residential
areas like Cross Roads and Half Way Tree blend homes with commercial
strips.
Suburban Foothills (40% or ~76 square miles): St. Andrew’s
northern reaches—Liguanea, Mona, Papine—climb into the Blue Mountains,
dotted with upscale homes, the University of the West Indies, and green
spaces like Hope Botanical Gardens (200 acres of manicured lawns and
exotic plants).
Natural Areas (30% or ~56 square miles): The Blue
Mountains’ lower slopes within city limits host rainforest remnants,
coffee plantations, and parks like Holywell Recreation Area. The
Palisadoes includes wetlands and mangroves, a critical buffer against
storm surges, though parts are developed (airport, Port Royal).
The
harbor’s waterfront mixes industrial ports with recreational spots like
Lime Cay, a tiny islet for boating and picnics.
Kingston’s natural vegetation has largely given way to urban sprawl,
but remnants persist:
Coastal Plains: Once covered in dry limestone
forest—acacia, logwood, and lignum vitae—the Liguanea Plain now features
ornamental trees (palms, flamboyants) and lawns in parks like
Emancipation Park.
Mountains: Above 1,000 feet, tropical rainforest
thrives with mahogany, blue mahoe, and ferns, transitioning to cloud
forest higher up. Coffee plantations dominate mid-elevations
(2,000–5,000 feet).
Palisadoes: Mangroves, sea grapes, and grasses
stabilize the sandy spit, supporting birdlife like pelicans and
frigatebirds.
Wildlife includes urban-adapted species—mongooses,
lizards, and Jamaican crows—while mountain fringes host hummingbirds and
the rare Jamaican tody.
Kingston’s layout reflects its 1692 grid origins, expanding
organically northward. Downtown hugs the harbor with a mix of colonial
relics (Ward Theatre) and modern shipping facilities. New Kingston, the
business district, centers on Knutsford Boulevard, its high-rises a
post-1960s addition. Suburbs fan out into St. Andrew, with shantytowns
like Trench Town contrasting affluent areas like Norbrook.
Key
infrastructure includes:
Norman Manley International Airport: On the
Palisadoes, handling 1.7 million passengers annually (2023).
Roads:
The A1 links Kingston to Montego Bay, while mountain roads (e.g., B1 to
Papine) wind into the Blue Mountains.
Port: A global transshipment
hub, modernized post-2000s.
Flooding risks from gullies and
hurricanes shape urban planning, with drainage systems and sea walls
mitigating threats.
Kingston’s culture is deeply tied to its history as a colonial port founded in 1692 and a post-emancipation hub. The city’s early population—enslaved Africans, British colonizers, and a smattering of Spanish, Irish, and Indian laborers—laid the groundwork for its diversity. After emancipation in 1838, freed Africans flocked to Kingston, forming working-class neighborhoods like Trench Town and Denham Town that became crucibles for cultural expression. The 20th century saw Kingston emerge as the political capital (1872) and a center of independence movements, fostering a pride in “JAMROCK”—a term of endearment for Jamaica—that permeates its arts and ethos.
Music is Kingston’s most celebrated cultural export, with reggae as
its crown jewel. Born in the city’s ghettos in the 1960s, reggae evolved
from ska and rocksteady, blending African rhythms, American R&B, and
local mento folk tunes into a sound of protest and upliftment. Bob
Marley, a Kingston icon from Trench Town, propelled reggae to global
fame with hits like “No Woman, No Cry” and “Redemption Song.” His former
home at 56 Hope Road, now the Bob Marley Museum, is a pilgrimage site,
preserving his legacy with gold records, guitars, and the bullet-scarred
kitchen from a 1976 assassination attempt. Studios like Tuff Gong,
founded by Marley, and Dynamic Sounds remain active, recording artists
who carry the torch.
Dancehall, reggae’s edgier offspring,
emerged in the 1980s from Kingston’s sound systems—mobile DJ setups that
blast music at street parties. Artists like Vybz Kartel and Sean Paul,
both Kingston natives, dominate this genre with raw lyrics and
infectious beats, performed at venues like Sabina Park or Passa Passa
street dances in Tivoli Gardens. Dance is inseparable from the
music—moves like “bruk out” and “whine” animate parties, their
athleticism and sensuality a communal celebration of life.
Rastafarianism, a spiritual and political movement born in Kingston in the 1930s, profoundly shapes the city’s culture. Inspired by Marcus Garvey’s Pan-Africanism and the 1930 coronation of Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari), Rastafari emerged among the poor as a rejection of colonial oppression—“Babylon”—and a call for repatriation to Africa—“Zion.” The Rasta Road area near the University of the West Indies and communities like Wareika Hill host Rasta elders and drummers, their dreadlocks, red-gold-green colors, and Ital (natural) diet of fruits and vegetables a visible presence. Reggae became Rastafari’s voice, with Marley’s lyrics echoing its tenets—peace, love, and resistance. Annual “reasoning” sessions and Nyabinghi drum ceremonies at sites like Rastafari Indigenous Village in Montego Bay (with Kingston offshoots) keep the faith alive.
Kingston’s lingua franca is Jamaican Patois, a Creole blend of
English, African languages (notably Akan and Igbo), and Spanish
influences, spoken with a rhythmic lilt. Phrases like “Yuh good?” (Are
you okay?) or “Lick JAH-mek-ya” (Hit Jamaica, meaning to succeed)
reflect its playfulness and resilience. Patois dominates daily life—from
market haggling to dancehall lyrics—though Standard English prevails in
formal settings like Gordon House, Jamaica’s parliament. Writers like
Louise Bennett (“Miss Lou”) elevated Patois in poetry and plays, with
her performances at the Ward Theatre cementing its cultural legitimacy.
Storytelling thrives in Kingston, rooted in African oral traditions
like Anansi tales—trickster spider stories passed down by enslaved
people. Modern expressions include dub poetry, a rhythmic spoken-word
art form pioneered by Kingstonians like Linton Kwesi Johnson, blending
Patois with social critique.
Kingston’s food culture is a delicious fusion of its peoples. Jerk, a
signature dish of marinated pork or chicken smoked over pimento wood,
fills the air at spots like Scotchies on Knutsford Boulevard or roadside
stalls downtown. The spice blend— Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice,
thyme—traces to Maroon cooking methods from the Blue Mountains. Patois
staples like ackee and saltfish (Jamaica’s national dish), a savory mix
of fruit and cod, or patties—flaky pastries stuffed with beef or
vegetables—fuel daily life, sold at bakeries like Tastee or Juici
Patties.
Markets like Coronation Market downtown brim with fresh
produce—mangoes, breadfruit, yams—and street vendors hawk festival
(fried cornmeal dumplings) or jerk chicken with hard-dough bread. Rum,
distilled from local sugarcane, flows freely—Wray & Nephew’s overproof
white rum is a staple at bars like Tracks & Records, owned by Usain
Bolt. Blue Mountain coffee, grown in Kingston’s northern foothills, adds
a smooth, world-class finish to meals.
Kingston’s calendar bursts with cultural events. Jamaica Carnival, held in April, transforms streets into a riot of soca music, costumes, and road marches, a post-Lent revelry influenced by Trinidad. Reggae Sumfest, staged in July (though often in Montego Bay, Kingston hosts precursor events), is the Caribbean’s premier reggae festival, drawing global stars to venues like Catherine Hall. Independence Day on August 6 fills National Heroes Park with flag-waving parades, fireworks, and traditional music, while Christmas brings Jonkanoo, a masquerade of colorful costumes and drums rooted in African slave traditions, parading through downtown.
Kingston’s visual arts thrive at the National Gallery of Jamaica on
Kingston Waterfront, housing works from the Taíno era to modern masters
like Edna Manley, whose sculptures blend African and European styles.
Street art flourishes in areas like Fleet Street, where murals by
artists like the Kingston Creative collective depict Marley, Garvey, or
social justice themes, turning walls into canvases of resistance and
pride. Craft markets in New Kingston sell wood carvings, Rasta beadwork,
and woven baskets, preserving artisanal skills.
Theater, rooted
in colonial pantomimes, lives on at the Little Theatre, where the
National Pantomime—annual satirical plays—mixes humor with Patois
commentary on current events, a tradition since the 1940s.
Kingston’s culture reflects a stratified yet communal society.
Wealthier enclaves like Liguanea contrast with gritty garrisons like
Tivoli Gardens, where loyalty to political “dons” shapes daily life—a
legacy of 1970s factionalism between the JLP and PNP. Despite this, a
spirit of “one love” unites Kingstonians, evident in street football
games or shared meals at community cookshops.
Religion is
omnipresent, with Christianity dominant—churches like Holy Trinity
Cathedral host lively services blending gospel with local hymns.
Rastafari’s influence adds a spiritual counterpoint, its rejection of
materialism resonating in poorer districts. Revivalist sects like
Pukumina, with African-derived drumming and spirit possession, persist
in places like West Kingston.
Kingston Parish, covering just 8.3 square miles (21.5 square
kilometers), had a population of 89,057 according to the 2011 Census.
However, this figure represents only the historic downtown core and
immediate surroundings. The Kingston-St. Andrew Metropolitan Area
(KSMA), spanning approximately 189 square miles (490 square kilometers),
is a more comprehensive measure, with a 2011 population of 662,426
across both parishes—89,057 in Kingston and 573,369 in St. Andrew.
STATIN’s 2022 estimate for the KSMA was 671,141, reflecting modest
growth, and projections for 2025 suggest a population hovering around
671,000 to 675,000, assuming a stabilized growth rate of 0.1% to 0.2%
annually, consistent with Jamaica’s urban trends.
Jamaica’s total
population was 2,697,983 in 2011, with a slight decline to an estimated
2,683,000 by 2022 due to emigration and low birth rates. Kingston’s
metro area thus accounts for roughly 25% of the national population,
underscoring its dominance as the country’s urban nucleus.
Kingston’s population growth has slowed since the mid-20th century.
After rapid expansion post-independence in 1962—driven by rural-to-urban
migration and natural increase—the city peaked at around 700,000 in the
KSMA by the 1980s. Emigration, particularly to the United States,
Canada, and the United Kingdom, has since curbed growth, with an
estimated net migration loss of 20,000–25,000 annually island-wide,
heavily impacting Kingston. The crude birth rate (11.5 per 1,000 in
2022) slightly outpaces the death rate (7.8 per 1,000), but emigration
offsets natural gains, stabilizing the metro population.
Population density varies sharply within Kingston:
Kingston Parish:
With 89,057 residents in 8.3 square miles, density is approximately
10,730 people per square mile (4,144 per square kilometer), reflecting a
compact urban core of high-rise offices, markets, and tenements.
KSMA: Across 189 square miles, the density drops to about 3,556 people
per square mile (1,373 per square kilometer), diluted by sprawling
suburbs in St. Andrew, like Liguanea and Mona, and rural fringes near
the Blue Mountains.
Downtown areas like Trench Town exceed 20,000
per square mile, while foothill neighborhoods average 2,000–5,000,
illustrating Kingston’s urban-rural gradient.
Kingston’s population mirrors Jamaica’s ethnic composition,
predominantly of African descent due to the legacy of the transatlantic
slave trade:
African Descent: Approximately 90% (604,000–607,000
in the KSMA), tracing ancestry to West African groups like the Akan,
Igbo, and Yoruba, brought during the 17th and 18th centuries. This
majority shapes Kingston’s cultural fabric—reggae, Patois, and
Rastafarianism.
Mixed Race: Around 6.5% (43,000–44,000), reflecting
unions between Africans and Europeans (British, Spanish), or later with
Indian and Chinese immigrants. Known locally as “brown” or “mulatto,”
this group often holds socio-economic prominence.
East Indian: 1.5%
(10,000), descendants of indentured laborers arriving post-1838,
concentrated in areas like Cross Roads.
Chinese: 0.5% (3,000–3,500),
from 19th-century migrants, influential in commerce with shops downtown
and in New Kingston.
White: 0.5% (3,000), primarily of British
descent, alongside smaller Lebanese and Syrian communities from early
20th-century trade migrations.
Other: Less than 1%, including Taíno
remnants (near-extinct but culturally resonant) and recent Latin
American or Caribbean inflows.
This diversity stems from
Kingston’s history as a colonial port and post-emancipation melting pot,
reinforced by its motto, “Out of Many, One People.”
Kingston’s age profile reflects a maturing urban population with a
median age of approximately 31–33 years (slightly younger than Jamaica’s
35):
0–14 Years: 23% (154,000–155,000), a declining share as birth
rates drop from 2.5 children per woman in the 1990s to 1.8 in 2022.
15–24 Years: 18% (121,000–122,000), a youthful cohort fueling Kingston’s
music and street culture but also facing high unemployment (15–20% for
this group).
25–54 Years: 42% (282,000–284,000), the working-age
majority, concentrated in trade, services, and public sector jobs.
55–64 Years: 9% (60,000–61,000), growing as life expectancy rises to
74.5 years (2022).
65+ Years: 8% (53,000–54,000), retirees in suburbs
like Norbrook or shantytowns relying on family support.
This
pyramid narrows at the base, signaling an aging trend common in
urbanizing societies, though Kingston retains a vibrant youth presence.
Education levels in Kingston surpass Jamaica’s rural averages,
reflecting access to institutions like the University of the West Indies
(UWI) in Mona:
Literacy Rate: Over 90% for adults (15+), with
functional literacy (reading and writing proficiency) at 87% per UNESCO
estimates.
No Formal Education: 2% (13,000), mostly older residents
in poorer districts.
Primary Education: 20% (134,000), common in
underserved areas like West Kingston.
Secondary Education: 50%
(335,000), with schools like Kingston College and St. George’s producing
skilled workers.
Tertiary Education: 28% (188,000), bolstered by UWI,
University of Technology, and vocational programs, feeding professions
like nursing and IT.
Kingston’s educated populace supports its role
as a governmental and commercial hub, though disparities persist—dropout
rates in garrisons like Tivoli Gardens exceed 10%.
Kingston’s population spans a wide economic spectrum:
Income:
Median household income is estimated at $25,000–$30,000 JMD monthly
(about $160–$190 USD), though New Kingston professionals earn $100,000+
JMD ($640+ USD), while garrison residents may scrape by on $10,000 JMD
($64 USD). The poverty rate is 19% (127,000), concentrated in urban
slums.
Employment: 60% of adults (402,000) are in the labor force—33%
in services (tourism, retail), 20% in public administration, 15% in
trade/port activities, and 10% informal (street vending). Unemployment
hovers at 7–8% (28,000–32,000), higher among youth.
Housing: 65% own
homes (often multi-generational), 35% rent. Downtown tenements contrast
with St. Andrew’s upscale villas; informal “capture land” settlements
house 20% (134,000).
Language: Jamaican Patois dominates (95% fluency), a Creole of
English and African roots, spoken in homes, markets, and music. Standard
English is used in education and government, with 70% bilingual
proficiency.
Religion: Christianity prevails—70% (470,000), with
Pentecostal, Anglican, and Baptist churches like Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Rastafarianism claims 5–10% (33,000–67,000), strongest in West Kingston.
Revivalist sects (2%) and minorities (Islam, Hinduism, 1%) add
diversity.
Kingston attracts rural migrants—5,000–10,000 annually—seeking jobs, swelling areas like August Town, though emigration (15,000–20,000 yearly) to the U.S. and UK balances inflows. The foreign-born population is small (1%, ~6,700), mostly Caribbean or Chinese returnees.
Kingston’s economy contributes significantly to Jamaica’s GDP,
estimated at $15.7 billion USD in 2023 by the World Bank, with the
Kingston-St. Andrew Metropolitan Area (KSMA) accounting for 40–50% of
this total—approximately $6.3–$7.8 billion USD. This reflects its
concentration of businesses, government institutions, and port
activities. The city’s GDP per capita is higher than the national
average of $5,836 USD, likely ranging from $9,000 to $12,000 USD in the
KSMA, though stark disparities exist between affluent New Kingston and
poorer districts like Trench Town.
Economic growth has been
modest but steady, averaging 1–2% annually since the post-COVID
recovery, buoyed by tourism and remittances but tempered by debt, crime,
and global inflation pressures. Jamaica’s national debt, reduced from
147% of GDP in 2013 to 77% by 2023 through IMF-backed reforms, still
burdens Kingston’s public sector spending.
Kingston Harbour, the world’s seventh-largest natural harbor, is the linchpin of the city’s economy. The Port of Kingston, managed by the Port Authority of Jamaica, is a major transshipment hub, handling 1.6 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2023—a 5% increase from 2022—ranking it among the Caribbean’s busiest. Located downtown, it facilitates exports like sugar, rum, and bauxite, and imports of consumer goods, fuel, and machinery. The Kingston Container Terminal, operated by Kingston Freeport Terminal Ltd. (a CMA CGM subsidiary since 2016), employs over 1,000 directly and supports thousands more in logistics, generating $200–$300 million USD annually in revenue.
As the capital, Kingston hosts Jamaica’s government, employing 20% of the KSMA workforce (approximately 80,000 people) in ministries, agencies, and parliament at Gordon House. The public sector, including education (University of the West Indies) and healthcare (Kingston Public Hospital), accounts for $1–$1.5 billion USD in annual spending, a significant economic driver. Civil servants earn median salaries of $40,000–$60,000 JMD monthly ($256–$384 USD), though top officials exceed $100,000 JMD ($640 USD).
Tourism, while less dominant than in Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, contributes $300–$400 million USD yearly to Kingston’s economy. Attractions like the Bob Marley Museum (100,000+ visitors annually), Devon House, and National Gallery of Jamaica, alongside Blue Mountains coffee tours, draw cultural tourists. The Kingston Waterfront and events like Reggae Sumfest (with pre-events in the city) bolster this sector, supporting hotels, restaurants, and guides—5–7% of the workforce (20,000–28,000 jobs). Visitor spending averages $150 USD per day, per 2023 Jamaica Tourist Board data.
New Kingston, the business district, is Jamaica’s financial heart, hosting the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), ranked among the world’s top-performing markets in the 2010s, with a market cap of $1.2 trillion JMD ($7.7 billion USD) in 2023. Major banks—National Commercial Bank, Scotiabank—and firms like GraceKennedy employ 10,000–15,000 in high-skill roles, with salaries ranging from $80,000–$200,000 JMD monthly ($512–$1,280 USD). Retail thrives downtown at Coronation Market and in plazas like Twin Gates, generating $500 million USD annually across 30,000+ small businesses.
Manufacturing, centered in industrial zones like Newport West, contributes $400–$500 million USD yearly, producing food (Red Stripe beer, patties), textiles, and construction materials. The sector employs 15% of the workforce (60,000), with firms like Jamaica Producers Group leveraging the port for exports. Blue Mountain coffee processing, though small-scale, adds premium value—5,000 tons annually fetch $50–$60 million USD globally.
The informal sector—street vending, taxi services, and craft sales—employs 20–25% (80,000–100,000) of Kingstonians, often in garrisons like Tivoli Gardens. Earnings here range from $10,000–$20,000 JMD monthly ($64–$128 USD), vital for survival but outside tax nets, complicating economic data.
Kingston’s labor force is approximately 400,000 (60% of adults), with
an unemployment rate of 7–8% (28,000–32,000), down from 10% pre-COVID,
per STATIN 2023 estimates. Key occupations include:
Services: 33%
(132,000)—retail, hospitality, transport.
Public Sector: 20%
(80,000)—government, education, health.
Trade/Logistics: 15%
(60,000)—port, warehousing.
Manufacturing: 15% (60,000)—food,
textiles.
Informal: 10–15% (40,000–60,000)—vendors, laborers.
Youth unemployment (15–24) remains high at 15–20%, driving crime and
emigration—5,000–10,000 leave Kingston yearly, per PIOJ reports.
Median household income in the KSMA is $25,000–$30,000 JMD monthly ($160–$190 USD), with per capita income around $9,000 USD annually—double rural averages but skewed by wealth concentration. Professionals in New Kingston earn $100,000+ JMD monthly, while garrison residents average $10,000–$15,000 JMD. The poverty rate is 19% (127,000), with 40,000 households below the $7,500 JMD ($48 USD) monthly line, per 2022 STATIN data. Remittances, $1 billion USD annually to Kingston (one-third of Jamaica’s $3 billion), bolster low-income families.
Port: Modernized since a 2015 expansion, handling 29 cranes and 2,000
vessel calls yearly.
Norman Manley International Airport: 1.7 million
passengers (2023), supporting tourism and business travel.
Roads: The
A1 highway and urban arteries like Knutsford Boulevard connect Kingston
to the island, though traffic congestion costs $100 million USD yearly
in lost productivity.
Energy: Jamaica Public Service Company powers
Kingston, with 60% renewable energy goals by 2030 reducing reliance on
imported oil ($300 million USD annually).
Kingston faces hurdles:
Crime: High murder rates (1,680 nationally
in 2023, 40% in Kingston) deter investment, costing 5% of GDP ($300–$400
million USD) in security and losses.
Debt: National debt servicing
($800 million USD yearly) limits infrastructure spending.
Inequality:
A Gini coefficient of 0.43 reflects stark divides—New Kingston’s
high-rises versus Trench Town’s zinc shacks.
Natural Disasters:
Hurricanes and earthquakes (e.g., 5.6 magnitude in 2023) disrupt trade
and tourism, with recovery costs in the tens of millions.
Kingston’s economy is poised for growth:
Tourism Expansion: Plans
for waterfront redevelopment and cultural festivals could boost visitor
numbers to 500,000 annually by 2030.
Digital Economy: Tech hubs like
UWI’s Mona campus and call centers employ 5,000+, with potential in
fintech.
Port Upgrades: A $200 million USD expansion by 2027 aims for
2 million TEUs, enhancing transshipment.