# Kingston

> capital of Jamaica

**Wikidata**: [Q34692](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34692)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston,_Jamaica)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kingston

## Summary
Kingston is the capital of Jamaica and serves as the country's largest city, situated in Surrey County on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Founded in 1692, it is a designated UNESCO Creative City of Music with an estimated population of 937,700 as of 2025. The city covers an area of 22 square kilometres and functions as the administrative centre for the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Kingston
- **Country:** Jamaica
- **Location:** Surrey County, Jamaica; borders the Caribbean Sea and shares a border with Portmore
- **Coordinates:** 17.971388888889, -76.793055555556
- **Area:** 22 square kilometres
- **Elevation:** 9 metres above sea level
- **Population:** 937,700 (2025 estimation, preferred); 580,000 (2009)
- **Inception:** 1692
- **Timezone:** UTC−05:00
- **Demonym:** Kingstonien (masculine singular), Kingstonienne (feminine singular)
- **Official Languages:** Jamaican Patois, English
- **Motto:** "A city which hath foundations"
- **Government:** Mayor Andrew Swaby (term started 2024)
- **UNESCO Status:** Member of the Creative Cities Network as a City of Music (designated 2015)
- **Twin Cities:** Coventry (since 1962), Kalamazoo, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Panevėžys, Shenzhen
- **Website:** http://www.ksac.gov.jm/
- **UN/LOCODE:** JMKIN

## FAQs
**What is the population and geographic size of Kingston?**
Kingston covers a total area of 22 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 9 metres above sea level. The city has an estimated population of 937,700 residents as of 2025, though a 2009 record listed the population at 580,000.

**When was Kingston founded and established?**
Kingston was founded in 1692. It serves as the capital of Jamaica, the former Colony of Jamaica, and Surrey County.

**What international affiliations and sister city relationships does Kingston have?**
Kingston has been a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Music since 2015. It maintains twinning agreements with Coventry (established 1962), Kalamazoo, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Panevėžys, and Shenzhen.

**What languages are spoken and what is the city's motto?**
The official languages are Jamaican Patois and English. The city's motto is "A city which hath foundations."

**Who is the current political leader of Kingston?**
As of 2024, the head of government is Mayor Andrew Swaby, who holds the office known as the Mayor of Kingston.

## Why It Matters
As the capital and largest settlement of Jamaica, Kingston functions as the political, cultural, and economic heart of the nation. Its designation as a UNESCO City of Music in 2015 highlights its global cultural significance and its role in preserving and promoting musical heritage. The city's history, dating back to its founding in 1692, provides a deep historical context for understanding the development of Jamaica, serving successively as the capital of the Colony of Jamaica and the independent nation. Its inclusion in Wikipedia's Vital Articles (Level 4) underscores its status as a topic of fundamental global importance.

## Notable For
- Serving as the capital of Jamaica, the Colony of Jamaica, and Surrey County.
- Being designated a UNESCO City of Music in 2015.
- Hosting a major port (Port of Kingston) visible in official imagery.
- Its motto "A city which hath foundations."
- Being a large human settlement with a sitelink count of 159 across various Wikipedia languages.
- Its distinction from similarly named cities like Kingston (general) and Kingstown.

## Body

### Governance and Administration
Kingston operates as the capital of Jamaica and is located within Surrey County. The local government body is known as the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), which maintains an official website at ksac.gov.jm. The city is subdivided into localities that include Tinson and Chaka Demus. The head of government is the Mayor of Kingston, a position held by Andrew Swaby starting in 2024. The city holds the identifier JMKIN under the UN/LOCODE system and is categorized as both a city and a big city.

### Geography and Location
Kingston is geographically positioned at coordinates 17.971388888889 latitude and -76.793055555556 longitude. It is situated in Surrey County and lies adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. The city shares a border with the locality of Portmore. It has a total land area of 22 square kilometres and an elevation of 9 metres above sea level. The timezone for Kingston is UTC−05:00.

### Demographics and Language
The population of Kingston has been recorded at two significant data points: 580,000 in 2009 and an estimated 937,700 in 2025. Residents are referred to by the demonyms "Kingstonien" (masculine singular) and "Kingstonienne" (feminine singular). The official languages spoken in the city are Jamaican Patois and English.

### History and Etymology
The city was established in 1692. It is named after Kingston upon Thames. A timeline of its history is maintained under the topic "timeline of Kingston, Jamaica." The city is described by several historical encyclopedic sources, including the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, The Nuttall Encyclopædia, and the Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition.

### International Relations
Kingston maintains strong international connections through its membership in the Creative Cities Network, specifically as a City of Music, a designation it received in 2015. The city is twinned with several administrative bodies globally: Coventry (a relationship established in 1962), Kalamazoo, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Panevėžys, and Shenzhen.

### Identifiers and Classifications
The entity is cataloged under numerous international identification systems. Its GeoNames ID is 3489854, which also serves as its OpenWeatherMap city ID. Other identifiers include a VIAF ID (126617434, 115144648605864009799), GND ID (4198339-7), Library of Congress Authority ID (n79018833), and a Quora topic ID (Kingston-Jamaica). It is listed on digital platforms such as Facebook (ID: 109489972411518) and Google Play Store. The city is classified under the WordNet 3.1 synset ID 08772071-n and has a BBC Things ID (f79d218c-7849-4eee-8209-35a442e118bd).

### Media and Visual Documentation
Visual documentation of Kingston is extensive, including an image of the Port of Kingston, an aerial view captured by Hodoyoshi-1, and a nighttime view of New Kingston. A page banner and locator map images are also available in the Wikimedia Commons category "Kingston, Jamaica." The city is the subject of a main category on Wikipedia and has specific categories for maps, births, deaths, and people associated with the location.

### Distinctions and Differentiations
Kingston is explicitly differentiated from the entity "Kingston" (a general entity referenced in Polish Wikipedia) and "Kingstown." It is also distinct from other entities in knowledge bases, as noted by its "different_from" property. The native label for the city is simply "Kingston," though it holds aliases such as "Kingston, Jamaica" and "Capital de Jamaica."

## References

1. [Source](https://jis.gov.jm/councillor-andrew-swaby-sworn-in-as-kingstons-new-mayor/)
2. [Source](https://www.zhihu.com/question/24096994/answer/27544729)
3. [Source](https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/222/twin_towns_and_cities)
4. [Source](https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/kingston)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html)
7. [Source](https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/jamaica)
8. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
9. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
10. GeoNames
11. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/jamaica/cities/)
12. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
13. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)