The capital city of Kingston is largest city in Jamaica, and lies on the southeastern coast of the island. Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city south of the United States, and has a population of 2.6 million. Two parts make up the central area of Kingston: the historic Downtown, and New Kingston. New Kingston is a business area which embodies the best of modern tropical town planning, graciously combining high rise buildings and well-groomed gardens with the soaring Blue Mountains as a backdrop.

Kingston has one of the leading ports of the West Indies, and it exports sugar, rum, molasses, and bananas. Other industries in Kingston include tourism, oil refining, shoe and  clothing manufacturing, and food processing. Air Jamaica operates out of Norman Manley International Airport, with a hub at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay. There are over 130 international flights a week that depart from Norman Manley International Airport, and connect Kingston and Montego Bay with New York and Miami.

Jamaica is among Miami's top 100 trading partners, ranking #27 for 2006 and 2005. Total trade between Miami and Jamaica topped $747,949,023 in 2006, an increase of 11.4 percent over the previous year. Jamaica ranks #46 in world rank with a GDP of $11.0 billion. Miami-Dade County signed a Sister Cities agreement with the city of Kingston Jamaica in 1981.

Founded in 1692 after nearby Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake, Kingston became the capital of Jamaica in 1872. As the pirate capital of the New World, Port Royal was labeled as "The wickedest city in Christendom." The bustling city sank beneath the waves during the earthquake of 1692, but left enough evidence to tell its story. Many artifacts have been recovered and are displayed in the Port Royal Archaeological and Historical Museum. Port Royal has been featured as a location within Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film series, though much of the location work for Port Royal was actually done in Saint Vincent, not in Jamaica. Today, tourists flock here to see the remnants of another era, enjoy fine restaurants and buy some souvenirs.

Points of interest include Rockfort, a 17th-century fortress; the Church of Saint Thomas; and Headquarters House (18th century), once the seat of government. Other attractions include the nearby Hellshire and Lime Cay beaches, the National Gallery of Jamaica, the ruins of Port Royal, and Devon House, a mansion with adjoining park that once belonged to Jamaica's first black millionaire. There are also several popular festivals that are held in Kingston every year.