What is the capital of Jamaica?
Kingston faces a natural harbour on the south-eastern coast of Jamaica, sheltered by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit that carries the road out to Port Royal and Norman Manley International Airport.
Kingston is the capital and seat of government of Jamaica. Jamaica itself has an estimated population of 2,837,077 (2025).
Kingston is also the largest city in Jamaica, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Kingston at a glance
| City population | 662,435 (2011 census, Kingston and St Andrew) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇯🇲 Jamaica |
| Founded | 1692 |
| Largest city in Jamaica | Kingston |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| Currency | Jamaican dollar (JMD) |
About Kingston
Kingston was established on 22 July 1692.
Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city in the Western Hemisphere south of the United States.
The parishes of Kingston and St Andrew were merged by the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation Act of 1923. 'Greater Kingston', or the Corporate Area, means that combined territory; Kingston Parish on its own covers only the old downtown and Port Royal.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Kingston, Jamaica.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Jamaica?
Is Kingston the largest city in Jamaica?
What is the population of Kingston?
Where is Kingston located?
What time zone is Kingston in?
What currency is used in Kingston?
See the full profile of Jamaica on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.