What Is the Capital of Prince Edward Island?
Prince Edward Island is one of the ten provinces of Canada. Its capital is Charlottetown. The island is located on the eastern coast of Canada. It is the smallest of all ten provinces with a total area of 5,660 square kilometers. Prince Edward Island is also the least populous province with a total population of 142,907 people. The island is also informally referred to as the Cradle of Confederation or Garden of the Gulf. The island is named for the Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Prince Edward.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
On the south shore of Prince Edward Island lies its capital city and largest town, Charlottetown. The capital city is also known as the “Birthplace of Confederation” a name acquired in 1864, after the Charlottetown Conference which resulted in confederation and creation of Canada. Other than Charlottetown, Summerside is the second city on the island. Others are classified as towns and they include Cornwall, Georgetown, Kensington, Montague, Souris, Stratford, and Alberton.
The capital is also the administrative center of Queens County and the principal municipality of Prince Edward Island. Charlottetown was incorporated as a city in 1855. Before incorporation, the system of government comprised of the colonial administration and volunteer organizations. Currently, the city’s municipal government is headed by a Mayor. Ten councilors are elected each representing the ten wards. Elections are held after every four years.
Demographics
The population of Charlottetown is 34,562. Many of Charlottetown’s residents are employed in the public sector. This is followed by retail, healthcare, educational services, accommodation and food services. The town has many plants processing meat, dairy, seafood, and beverages. Agricultural produce and imported petroleum products move transit through the city’s port.
Features
The Confederation Bridge joins Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick. Also called the “fixed link”, it opened doors to tourists visiting Charlottetown and also eased access to potato production and farming. The Confederation Bridge is 12.9 kilometers long and is notable for being the world’s longest bridge over ice-covered waters.
Charlottetown is endowed with rich historic mansions such as Beaconsfield, which is now a heritage site and the headquarters of the Prince Edward Island Museum. The Victoria Row and Great George Street are streetscapes constructed in the 19th century. Other historic buildings include Georgian Government House and Victorian City Hall. Victoria Park is also another recreation area that is popular among the residents of Charlottetown. Buildings with outstanding architecture include Sir Louis Henry Davies Law Courts, St. Dunstan Roman Catholic Basilica, and St. Peters Anglican Cathedral.
The city’s cultural ways are drawn from the surrounding rural areas hence creating a blend between urban life and traditional aspects. Charlottetown is home to a great portion of the province’s designated Historic Sites.
