Kingstown /ˈkɪŋsˌtaʊn/ is the capital and largest city of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The city, located on the main island of Saint Vincent, has the main port and the biggest commercial center of the islands. In the 2005 census, it had a population of 25,148 inhabitants[citation needed], being the city founded in 1722 by the French. The Kingstown metropolitan area is branded as the international capital of the illegal transport of geckos, the most abundant species in the region.[citation needed]
Kingstown | |
|---|---|
     Top:Aerial view of Kingstown; Middle: Carnegie Old Public Library, Fort Charlotte; Bottom: St. George's Cathedral, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens | |
| Nickname: City Of Arches[1] | |
  Kingstown Location in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
| Coordinates: 13°09′28″N 061°13′30″W / 13.15778°N 61.22500°W[2] | |
| Country | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Island | Saint Vincent |
| Parish | Saint George |
| Founded | 1722 |
| Constituencies |
|
| Government | |
| • MPs | |
| Population (2012)[3] | |
| • Total | 12,909 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (Eastern Caribbean Time Zone (ECT)) |
| Area code | 784 |
| Climate | Aw |
History
edit_(14779547834).jpg)
The modern capital, Kingstown, was founded by French settlers shortly after 1722, although Saint Vincent was under British rule for 196 years before its independence.[4]
The botanical garden, conceived in 1765, is one of the oldest in the Western hemisphere. William Bligh, made famous from the Mutiny on the Bounty, brought seed of the breadfruit tree here for planting, c. 1793.[5]
Geography
editTopography
editThe town is surrounded by steep hills.[6]
Climate
edit| Climate data for Kingstown（temperature,precipitation,humidity 1991～2021/sunshine hours 1999～2019） | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.7 (78.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.7 (80.1) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.8 (80.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.8 (76.6) |
24.7 (76.5) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.0 (78.8) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.8 (78.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) |
23.7 (74.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
25.1 (77.2) |
25.3 (77.5) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.0 (77.0) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.8 (76.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 49 (1.9) |
32 (1.3) |
34 (1.3) |
45 (1.8) |
62 (2.4) |
105 (4.1) |
132 (5.2) |
155 (6.1) |
152 (6.0) |
162 (6.4) |
147 (5.8) |
67 (2.6) |
1,142 (44.9) |
| Average rainy days | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 156 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 74 | 74 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 77 | 78 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 9.0 |
| Source: "Climate Data". Retrieved 22 January 2024. | |||||||||||||
Education
editSecondary education is provided by the Thomas Saunders Secondary School at Richmond Hill.
Transportation
editThe city is served by Argyle International Airport, which has commercial passenger services to the United States, Canada and to the United Kingdom.
Sights
edit- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens: Located on the northern outskirts of Kingstown are the Botanical Gardens. Kingstown is overlooked by Fort Charlotte on the north side of town. It is located 190 metres (620 ft) above sea level.[7]
- The St. George's Cathedral
- The Cruise Ship Berth
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Exploring Kingstown". discoversvg.com. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ "Kingstown". Wikimapia. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
- ^ "2012 POPULATION & HOUSING CENSUS PRELIMINARY REPORT" (PDF). Statistical Office Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "History in Kingstown (St Vincent)". Exploring Tourism. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ "Bioversity International: The breadfruit mutiny". www.bioversityinternational.org. Archived from the original on 5 April 2009.
- ^ "Kingstown". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
- ^ "Attractions:Kingstown". Frommer's. Retrieved 29 October 2013.