📖 About St. Andrew

St. Andrew is Jamaica's most populous parish, surrounding the capital city of Kingston and forming the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation. With approximately 580,000 residents, this parish encompasses upscale residential areas like Cherry Gardens and Norbrook, as well as the Blue Mountain foothills. The parish is Jamaica's commercial and governmental center alongside Kingston.

The area includes New Kingston's business district, the University of the West Indies Mona campus, and some of Jamaica's most affluent neighborhoods. The Blue Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop. St. Andrew represents modern Jamaica—commercial hub, educational center, and home to the island's middle and upper classes.

🏛️ Top Attractions

💼 Economy & Culture

Business and services dominate—New Kingston hosts banks, insurance companies, and corporate headquarters. Retail, hospitality, and professional services thrive. Education is significant with major universities. The parish is Jamaica's economic engine, generating substantial GDP. Tourism complements the business-focused economy.

Jamaican culture is vibrant—reggae music, patois alongside English, and Rastafarian influence are everywhere. Christianity is predominant. Food features jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, and curry goat. The culture blends African heritage with British colonial legacy—music, cuisine, and warm hospitality defining the Jamaican spirit in this prosperous parish.

📜 History

St. Andrew was one of Jamaica's original parishes (1664). Initially agricultural with sugar and coffee plantations. The parish grew as Kingston expanded—wealthier residents moved to the hills. Half Way Tree became the commercial center.

Post-independence (1962), St. Andrew developed rapidly as Jamaica modernized. New Kingston emerged as the business district. The University of the West Indies established at Mona. Today St. Andrew is Greater Kingston's prosperous heart—government, business, education, and middle-class Jamaica in the Blue Mountain foothills.