Kingstown is the

capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...

and largest city of

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, sometimes known simply as Saint Vincent or SVG, is an island country in the eastern Caribbean. It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, which lie in the West Indies, at the south ...

. The city, located on the main island of Saint Vincent, has the main port and the biggest commercial center of the islands. With a population of 12,909 (2012), Kingstown is the most populous settlement in the country. It is the island's agricultural industry centre and a port of entry for tourists. The city lies within the parish of

Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

in the south-west corner of Saint Vincent.

History

The modern capital, Kingstown, was founded by

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

settlers shortly after 1722, although Saint Vincent was under

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

rule for 196 years before its independence. The

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

, conceived in 1765, is one of the oldest in the

Western hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the 180th meridian.- The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Geopolitically, ...

William Bligh William Bligh (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was a Vice-admiral (Royal Navy), Royal Navy vice-admiral and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New South Wales from 1806 to 1808. He is best known for his role in the Muti ...

, made famous from the

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...

, brought seed of the

breadfruit Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family ( Moraceae) believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut ('' Artocarpus camansi''). Breadfruit was spread into ...

tree here for planting, .

Geography

Topography

The town is surrounded by steep hills.

Climate

Education

Secondary education is provided by the

Thomas Saunders Secondary School Thomas Saunders Secondary School is a high school located at Richmond Hill, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The building was formerly the Richmond Hill Primary School. The school was named after a former principal of the Richmond Hill ...

at Richmond Hill.

Transportation

The city is served by

Argyle International Airport Argyle International Airport (often referred to as Argyle Airport or simply AIA) is an international airport on the island of Saint Vincent in the Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in Argyle, about from the ...

, which has commercial passenger services to the United States, Canada and to the United Kingdom.

Sights

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Botanic Gardens is located in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Established in 1765, it is the oldest botanic garden in the Western Hemisphere. It is one of the most visited sites in Saint Vincent a ...

: 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 above sea level. *The St. George's Cathedral *The Cruise Ship Berth

References

External links

Local history
{{Authority control Capitals in the Caribbean Populated places established in 1722 Populated places in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1722 establishments in North America 1722 establishments in the French colonial empire