St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans 446.04 km2 (172.22 sq mi) and is the easternmost city in North America (excluding Greenland).

St. John's
City of St. John's
From top, left to right: Sunset from Signal Hill, Row Houses, Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, the Confederation Building
Motto: 
Avancez (English: "Go forward")
St. John's
Location within Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's
Location within Canada
Coordinates: 47°28′56″N 52°47′49″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceNewfoundland and Labrador
Census division1
Historic countriesKingdom of England
Kingdom of Great Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Dominion of Newfoundland
Discovered24 June 1497 (Not as an established settlement, but as fishing grounds)
Established5 August 1583 by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I
Incorporated1 May 1888
Named forNativity of John the Baptist
Government
  TypeCity Council
  MayorDanny Breen
  Governing bodySt. John's City Council
  MPs
  MHAs
Area
  City446.02 km2 (172.21 sq mi)
  Urban
166.0 km2 (64.1 sq mi)
  Metro
931.56 km2 (359.68 sq mi)
Elevation
0–192 m (0–630 ft)
Population
  City110,525
  Density244.1/km2 (632.1/sq mi)
  Urban
178,427
  Urban density1,074.9/km2 (2,784/sq mi)
  Metro
205,955
  Metro density255.9/km2 (663/sq mi)
 20th Largest metropolitan area in Canada
Time zoneUTC−03:30 (NST)
  Summer (DST)UTC−02:30 (NDT)
Postal code
A1A–A1H, A1S
Area code709
NTS Map1N10 St. John's
GNBC CodeABEFS
Total Dwellings52,410 (2016)
Median total household income$69,455 CAD
GDP (St. John's CMA)CA$13.2 billion (2016)
GDP per capita (St. John's CMA)CA$63,965 (2016)
Websitewww.stjohns.ca

Its name has been attributed to the belief that John Cabot sailed into the harbour on the Nativity of John the Baptist in 1497, although it is most likely a legend that came with British settlement. A more realistic possibility is that a fishing village with the same name existed without a permanent settlement for most of the 16th century. Indicated as São João on a Portuguese map from 1519, it is one of the oldest cities in North America. It was officially incorporated as a city in 1888. With a metropolitan population of approximately 212,579 (as of 9 February 2022), the St. John's Metropolitan Area is Canada's 20th-largest metropolitan area and the second-largest Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Atlantic Canada, after Halifax.

The city has a rich history, having played a role in the Seven Years' War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal in St. John's. Its history and culture have made it into an important tourist destination. St. John's was referred to as Baile Sheáin (Johnstown), in the poetry of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara (1715–1810), and among speakers of the Irish language in Newfoundland.

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