Why it's the capital
Kingston was laid out on 22 July 1692 to house survivors of an earthquake that had destroyed the nearby town of Port Royal. In 1872 the government offices moved to Kingston from Spanish Town, the old capital.
Kingston
Capital of JamaicaKingston is on the south-east coast of Jamaica. The Blue Mountains and other hills surround it on the land side, and in front lies a natural harbour sheltered by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit.
Fun facts
- Kingston Harbour is often listed as the seventh-largest natural harbour in the world, and this helped Kingston become the capital.
- The Bob Marley Museum at 56 Hope Road was the reggae singer's home and the base of the Tuff Gong record label, founded by The Wailers in 1970.
- Norman Manley International Airport is built on the Palisadoes, the same sand spit that shelters the harbour.
Finding it on the globe
Jamaica lies about 145 km south of Cuba. Aim for its south coast near the eastern end, where a thin sand spit curls around a large harbour.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse Kingston with Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which lies far to the south-east in the Windward Islands.
Sources: Wikipedia: Kingston, Jamaica, Wikipedia: Jamaica, Wikipedia: Bob Marley Museum