Saint John Parish
Saint John Parish is one of the 10 administrative divisions in Dominica. The parish has a population of about 7,000 people, inclusive of the nearly 3,000 residents in Portsmouth. The parish has an area of 59 km2 and bordered to the east by Saint Andrew parish, and to the south by Saint Peter parish.
Dominica’s second-largest city, Portsmouth, is located in Saint John parish. There are also major areas such as Capuchin, Clifton, Cottage, Toucari, Tanetane, Bornes, Glanvilla, and Lagoon among others.
The parish is home to Morne aux Diables, the highest peak in Dominica with a height of 861 metres or 2,827 feet. The Ross University School of Medicine in Picard is also in St. John, and the first local school in Dominica, the Portsmouth Secondary School, which was established in the 1960s, is located within the parish.
The Cabrits National Park and Benjamin’s Park where major cricket and other sporting activities hold are also in the parish. The Indian River is an attractive tourist centre in the parish, and the Prince Rupert Bay close to Portsmouth is often a stop-over for big cruise ships and yachts. The Espagnole River is on the south side of the parish.
Former Prime Minister Rosie Douglas was born in St. John parish, and so is famous historian Lennox Honychurch among other notable Dominicans.