Spanish Town
| Spanish Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 18 ° 0 ′ N , 76 ° 57 ′ W | ||
| Basic data | |||
| Country | Jamaica | ||
| county | Middlesex | ||
| Saint Catherine | |||
| ISO 3166-2 | JM-14 | ||
| Residents | 147,152 (2011 census) | ||
 St. Jago de la Vega Cathedral In Spanish Town
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Spanish Town is a large city in southeast Jamaica . It is located in County Middlesex and is the capital of the Parish Saint Catherine . In 2010 the population was 162,359 people. The former capital of Jamaica is about 15 kilometers west of the current capital Kingston .
history
The city was founded as a Spanish settlement in 1534 by Francisco de Garay as Villa de la Vega . In 1535 it was renamed Santiago de la Vega and became the capital of Jamaica. In 1655 the city was conquered by English soldiers and renamed Spanish Town. In 1872 it was replaced by Kingston as the capital of Jamaica.
Buildings from the colonial era that are particularly worth seeing include the Old House of Assembly , the former residence of the governor ( King's House , built from 1759 to 1764) and the oldest Anglican church in Jamaica, Saint Catherine's Cathedral from 1714.
Population development
The following overview shows the population by area since the 1970 census.
| year | Residents |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 39.204 |
| 1984 | 89.097 |
| 1991 | 114.175 |
| 2001 | 131,515 |
| 2011 | 147.152 |
Authorities
The first training center of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was established in the Old Imperial Barracks .
economy
The area around the city is dominated by agriculture and mainly produces sugar cane , citrus fruits , coffee , bananas and cocoa . These are processed into rum , sugar and canned fruit in Spanish Town , and there is also a ceramic and textile industry.
Personalities
Personalities Born in Spanish Town:
- Michael Henry (* 1935), politician, transport and construction minister
- Jamar McNaughton Jr , known as Chronixx (* 1992), reggae singer
- Diana King (* 1970), singer
- Ricardo Lynch (* 1984), track cyclist
- Grace Jones (born 1948), singer and actress
- Precious Wilson (born 1957), pop singer
- Khadija Shaw (* 1997), soccer player
- The pirate Calico Jack Rackham (1682-1720) was tried here on November 16, 1720, found guilty and hanged the following day.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ world-gazetteer.com
- ↑ Jamaica: Districts, Cities & Urban Settlements - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information. Retrieved January 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Jamaica Constabulary Force ; In: International Police Academy Review , Ed. 2, No. 3, Office of Public Safety - Agency for international Development, Washington DC, United States, July 1968, pp. 6, 10, 11.