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{{For|the song|Montego Bay (song)}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Montego Bay
|image_skyline = MontegoBay.jpg
|imagesize = 262px
|image_caption = '''View of Montego Bay from the hillside.'''
|pushpin_map = Jamaica
|subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_name = {{Flagicon|Jamaica}} [[Jamaica]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[County]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Cornwall, Jamaica|Cornwall]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Parishes of Jamaica|Parish]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[St. James Parish, Jamaica|St. James]]
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = Charles Sinclair (Mayor)
|established_title = Proclaimed city by act of Parliament
|established_date = 1980
|population_as_of = 2001
|population_total = 96,488
|population_blank2_title= St. James Parish
|population_blank2 = 175,127
|timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|latd=18 |latm=28 |lats= |latNS=N
|longd=77 |longm=55 |longs= |longEW=W
|coordinates_type = region:JM-11_type:city
|coordinates_display = display=inline,title
|utc_offset = -5
}}

'''Montego Bay''' is the capital of [[Saint James Parish, Jamaica|St. James Parish]] and the second largest city in [[Jamaica]] by area and the fourth by population (after [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]], [[Spanish Town]] and [[Portmore]]).

It is a tourist destination with [[duty free]] shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches. The city is backed by picturesque low mountains.

==History==
[[Christopher Columbus]], when he first visited the island in 1494, named the bay ''Golfo de Buen Tiempo'' ('Fair Weather Gulf') The name "Montego Bay" is believed to have originated as a corruption of the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word ''manteca'' ("[[lard]]"), allegedly because during the Spanish period it was the port where lard, [[leather]], and [[beef]] were exported.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} Jamaica was a [[colony]] of [[Spain]] from 1511 until 1655, when [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s Caribbean expedition, the Western Design, drove the Spanish from the island.

[[File:Montego Bay from Reading Hill (J HAKEWILL) 1824.png|thumb|left|Montego Bay c. 1820]]

DuriWitch (of Rose Hall)|White Witch's]] Rose Hall and Tryall, both of which now feature world-class [[golf course]]s.

The infrastructure of the city is going through a series of explosive modernizations which once completed, aims to keep Montego Bay as a top destination in the Caribbean and the world. The Montego Bay Convention Centre, built on a large site near to the Rose Hall estate, was opened by Jamaican Prime Minister [[Bruce Golding]] on 7th January 2011.<ref>[http://www.jtbonline.org/Lists/Industry%20News%20%20Facts/DispForm.aspx?ID=726] Jamaican Tourist Board news report.</ref>

[[Image:Doctors-Cave-Beach.jpg|thumb|[[Doctor's Cave Beach Club]] is a popular tourist destination in Montego Bay]]
[[File:Rose Hall Golf Club - Montego Bay.jpg|thumb|Rose Hall Golf Club]]
[[File:BayWest.JPG|thumb|The Baywest Shopping Center in Montego Bay]]
[[File:Westgate fretwork.jpg|thumb|Westgate Plaza in Montego Bay]]

==Transportation==
===Roads===
Montego Bay is on the main [[A2 road (Jamaica)|A1]] ([[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] to [[Lucea, Jamaica|Lucea]]) road and the [[B roads in Jamaica|B15]] (Montego Bay to [[Falmouth, Jamaica|Falmouth]]) road.<ref>UK [[Directorate of Overseas Surveys]] 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet C, 1959.</ref> It is well served by buses, mini buses and taxis, which operate from the [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.4701607&lon=-77.9234666&z=18&l=0&m=b&v=8 Montego Bay Transport Centre].
===Rail===
The now disused [[Montego Bay railway station]] served the [[Railways of Jamaica: Kingston to Montego Bay|Kingston to Montego Bay]] main line. The station opened c1894<ref>[http://www.jnht.com/heritage_site.php?id=208 Montego Bay Railway Station], Jamaica National Heritage Trust.</ref> and closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased.<ref name="JTH18">[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3884/is_200303/ai_n9209497/pg_18 The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg18] Journal of Transport History - March 2003</ref>

===Air===
Montego Bay is served by Jamaica's largest airport, the [[Sir Donald Sangster International Airport]].

[[Air Jamaica]] and several North American and European airlines run their Caribbean hub in "MoBay" ([[Sangster International Airport]]) connecting the island with the United States, the United Kingdom, [[Germany]], and [[Canada]]. The southern U.S. city of [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] can be reached within 70 minutes. The southern U.S. cities of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], and [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] can be reached by nonstop flights in less than three hours. Other locations like [[Philadelphia]], [[New York City]], [[Boston]], [[Washington D.C.]], and [[Chicago]] can be reached in under four hours.

===Port===
There is a [[free port]] and cruise line terminal on a man-made [[peninsula]] jutting into the [[bay]].

==In popular culture==

The city was the subject of the [[Montego Bay (song)|namesake song]] by [[Bobby Bloom]] in 1970, later covered by [[Jon Stevens]] ten years later, and was revived by [[Amazulu (band)|Amazulu]] to became a minor hit in the [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S.]] in September 1986.

Several scenes from the 1973 [[James Bond]] film ''[[Live and Let Die (film)|Live and Let Die]]'' (in which [[Roger Moore]] appeared as Bond for the first time) were filmed around Montego Bay.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070328/locations Live and Let Die (1973) - Filming locations<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|location = Montego Bay
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan high C = 29
|Feb high C = 29
|Mar high C = 30
|Apr high C = 30
|May high C = 30
|Jun high C = 31
|Jul high C = 32
|Aug high C = 32
|Sep high C = 31
|Oct high C = 31
|Nov high C = 30
|Dec high C = 30
|Jan low C = 20
|Feb low C = 20
|Mar low C = 21
|Apr low C = 22
|May low C = 23
|Jun low C = 23
|Jul low C = 23
|Aug low C = 23
|Sep low C = 23
|Oct low C = 23
|Nov low C = 22
|Dec low C = 21
|
|source = http://www.worldclimateguide.co.uk/climateguides/jamaica/montegobay.php
}}

==See also==
* [[List of cities in the Caribbean]]
* [[Railway stations in Jamaica]]
{{Portal|Jamaica}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=18.4805859&lon=-77.9093742&z=14&l=0&m=b&v=8 Aerial view]
* [http://www.panoramio.com/map/#lt=18.474501&ln=-77.920178&z=4&k=2 Panoramio - Photos of the World]

{{Settlements in Jamaica}}

[[Category:Populated places established in the 16th century]]
[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]
[[Category:Populated places in Jamaica]]
[[Category:Port cities in the Caribbean]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Jamaica]]
[[Category:Saint James Parish, Jamaica]]

[[ar:مونتيغو باي]]
[[ca:Montego Bay]]
[[cs:Montego Bay]]
[[da:Montego Bay]]
[[de:Montego Bay]]
[[es:Bahía Montego]]
[[fa:مونتگوبی]]
[[fr:Montego Bay]]
[[gl:Montego Bay]]
[[hr:Montego Bay]]
[[id:Montego Bay]]
[[it:Montego Bay]]
[[lt:Montego Bėjus]]
[[mr:माँटेगो बे]]
[[nl:Montego Bay]]
[[ja:モンテゴ・ベイ]]
[[pl:Montego Bay]]
[[pt:Montego Bay]]
[[ru:Монтего-Бей]]
[[sv:Montego Bay]]
[[vi:Montego Bay]]

Revision as of 03:41, 8 April 2012

For the song, see Montego Bay (song).
Montego Bay
View of Montego Bay from the hillside.
View of Montego Bay from the hillside.
CountryJamaica Jamaica
CountyCornwall
ParishSt. James
Proclaimed city by act of Parliament1980
Government
 • MayorCharles Sinclair (Mayor)
Population
 (2001)
 • Total96,488
 • St. James Parish
175,127
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)

Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population (after Kingston, Spanish Town and Portmore).

It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches. The city is backed by picturesque low mountains.

History

Christopher Columbus, when he first visited the island in 1494, named the bay Golfo de Buen Tiempo ('Fair Weather Gulf') The name "Montego Bay" is believed to have originated as a corruption of the Spanish word manteca ("lard"), allegedly because during the Spanish period it was the port where lard, leather, and beef were exported.[citation needed] Jamaica was a colony of Spain from 1511 until 1655, when Oliver Cromwell's Caribbean expedition, the Western Design, drove the Spanish from the island.

Montego Bay c. 1820

DuriWitch (of Rose Hall)|White Witch's]] Rose Hall and Tryall, both of which now feature world-class golf courses.

The infrastructure of the city is going through a series of explosive modernizations which once completed, aims to keep Montego Bay as a top destination in the Caribbean and the world. The Montego Bay Convention Centre, built on a large site near to the Rose Hall estate, was opened by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding on 7th January 2011.[1]

Doctor's Cave Beach Club is a popular tourist destination in Montego Bay
Rose Hall Golf Club
The Baywest Shopping Center in Montego Bay
Westgate Plaza in Montego Bay

Transportation

Roads

Montego Bay is on the main A1 (Kingston to Lucea) road and the B15 (Montego Bay to Falmouth) road.[2] It is well served by buses, mini buses and taxis, which operate from the Montego Bay Transport Centre.

Rail

The now disused Montego Bay railway station served the Kingston to Montego Bay main line. The station opened c1894[3] and closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased.[4]

Air

Montego Bay is served by Jamaica's largest airport, the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.

Air Jamaica and several North American and European airlines run their Caribbean hub in "MoBay" (Sangster International Airport) connecting the island with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. The southern U.S. city of Miami can be reached within 70 minutes. The southern U.S. cities of Charlotte, Houston, Atlanta, and Tampa can be reached by nonstop flights in less than three hours. Other locations like Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Washington D.C., and Chicago can be reached in under four hours.

Port

There is a free port and cruise line terminal on a man-made peninsula jutting into the bay.

The city was the subject of the namesake song by Bobby Bloom in 1970, later covered by Jon Stevens ten years later, and was revived by Amazulu to became a minor hit in the U.S. in September 1986.

Several scenes from the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die (in which Roger Moore appeared as Bond for the first time) were filmed around Montego Bay.[5]

Climate

Climate data for Montego Bay
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29
(84) 		29
(84) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		31
(88) 		32
(90) 		32
(90) 		31
(88) 		31
(88) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		30
(87)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 20
(68) 		20
(68) 		21
(70) 		22
(72) 		23
(73) 		23
(73) 		23
(73) 		23
(73) 		23
(73) 		23
(73) 		22
(72) 		21
(70) 		22
(72)
Source: http://www.worldclimateguide.co.uk/climateguides/jamaica/montegobay.php

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] Jamaican Tourist Board news report.
  2. ^ UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet C, 1959.
  3. ^ Montego Bay Railway Station, Jamaica National Heritage Trust.
  4. ^ The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica, 1845-1975 - Pg18 Journal of Transport History - March 2003
  5. ^ Live and Let Die (1973) - Filming locations
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