Saint John Parish, Dominica

For Saint John Parish in other places, see Saint John Parish (disambiguation).
Saint John
Parish
Prince Rupert Bay, near Portsmouth
Country Dominica
Capital Portsmouth
 - coordinates 15°35′N 61°28′W / 15.583°N 61.467°W / 15.583; -61.467Coordinates: 15°35′N 61°28′W / 15.583°N 61.467°W / 15.583; -61.467
Area 59.0 km2 (23 sq mi)
Population 6,561 (2011)
Density 111/km2 (287/sq mi)
Timezone UTC-4
ISO 3166-2 DM-05

Saint John is one of Dominica's 10 administrative parishes. It is bordered by St. Andrew to the east, and St. Peter and the Espagnole River to the south. It has an area of 59 km² (22.78 mi²).[1]

Indian River, near Portsmouth

5,897 people live in the parish, half of which (2,977) live in the main settlement, Portsmouth (Dominica's second largest town, also called Grand Anse by locals).[2] Glanvilla and Lagoon serve as the town's suburbs.

Other settlements include:

The highest peak is Morne aux Diables, with a height of 861 m (2827 ft).

Education

St. John is home to Ross University School of Medicine in Picard.

Portsmouth Secondary School, the island's first rural secondary school, opened in St. John in the 1960s.

Notable names

Via Portsmouth, the parish is the birthplace of local historian Lennox Honychurch, and former Prime Minister Rosie Douglas.

Transportation

St. John shares some of Dominica's best roads with adjacent St. Andrew. In addition, the island's northernmost road, connecting Tanetane with Penville, was opened in 2004.

Prince Rupert Bay, near Portsmouth, has been an often-used stop-over for yachts and cruise ships.

Tourism

The best known tourist attractions in St. John's are the Indian River and the Cabrits National Park, which consists of the Cabrits Peninsula and Fort Shirley. Benjamin's Park is the primary sporting venue and has hosted first-class cricket.

References

  1. Figures provided by the Lands and Surveys Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Cork Street, Roseau, Dominica.
  2. Commonwealth of Dominica, Population and Housing Census—2001. Roseau, Dominica: Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Kennedy Avenue, 2001.
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