Saint Andrew (Jamaican Patois: Sint Anju) is a parish, situated in the southeast of Jamaica in the county of Surrey. It lies north, west and east of Kingston, and stretches into the Blue Mountains. As of the 2011 census, it had a population of 573,369, the highest of any of the parishes in Jamaica.
The residence built in 1881 by George Stiebel, Jamaica's first black millionaire, is known as Devon House. Steibel gained his wealth in Venezuela and returned to Jamaica. He was appointed as the Custos, a high civic post, of Saint Andrew. His residence has been restored and is operated as a house museum; it is open to the public for tours and special events. Concessions include a Devon House ice cream shop.
The grounds of the Hope Estate, built in the 17th century, now support Hope Gardens (Royal Botanical Gardens), one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The University of the West Indies is located on the estate and uses some of the historic buildings. Part of the navigable aqueduct is still intact.
Vale Royal, the residence of the Prime Minister, and King's House, the Governor General's residence, are significant historic buildings.[2]
St. Andrew was one of the first parishes to be established by law in 1867. Before being established, it was known as Liguanea.
St Andrew is located at 18°01′N76°54′W / 18.017°N 76.900°W / 18.017; -76.900 and covers an area of 455 km2 (176 sq mi). The parish lies just north of Kingston, bounded in the west by St. Catherine, north by St. Mary, northeast by Portland along the Blue Mountain range, and east by St. Thomas. In 1923, the parishes of St Andrew and Kingston were administratively merged to form the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), with a single elected council and a mayor. Parts of the geographic area of Saint Andrew is often referred to as the "Corporate Area, town, Kingston Metropolitan area, uptown Kingston, Kingston 2-20". The current mayor of KSAC is Delroy Williams.[3] St Andrew has one major river, that being the Hope River at 19.6 Kilometres
Cross Roads, New Kingston, Half-Way-Tree, Matilda's Corner, and Constant Spring are important commercial centres in St. Andrew, but may be regarded as suburbs of Kingston. Coronation Market bordering both Saint Andrew and Kingston, is one of the largest, if not the largest outdoor market in this part of the island provides a venue for farmers throughout Jamaica. West St. Andrew, however, is a populous residential area. Total population of the parish was 573,369 in 2011.[1]
Notable people
Alexander Aikman (1755-1838) King's Printer, member House of Assembly
Tourism plays a major part in the economy of the parish. The major hotels in this southeastern part of the country can be found on Knutsford Boulevard, also known as The Strip. The area of New Kingston is seen as the financial capital of the island, with its large headquarters for banks and investment companies. The commercial areas, with their many malls, plazas and stores, provide employment for many in the urban area of the parish.
Gypsum is found in large quantities, in eastern St. Andrew, the largest deposits being in the area of Bull Bay, a mile and a half of the coast.
Saint Andrew provides the vibrancy that creates a city environment, nightlife, many restaurants, outdoor facilities, and tourist attractions, making the city of Kingston what it is today.[citation needed]
The primary roads through Kingston to the rest of the island all pass through St Andrew including the A1 to Lucea, A3 to Saint Ann's Bay, A4 to Annotto Bay and B1 to Buff Bay via Newcastle.
The Transport Center, located in Half-Way-Tree, Saint Andrew is a depot for public buses servicing many parts of the tri-parish area (Saint Andrew, Kingston and Saint Catherine)and the outlying areas.
