City · Haiti
Jacmel
Jacmel is a commune in southern Haiti previously founded by the Spanish in 1504 before the relocation of the Dominicans to the eastern side of the island after the Devastations of Osorio and repopulated by the French in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est, 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince across the Tiburon Peninsula, and had a population of 221,965 at the 2024 Census. The town's name is derived from its indigenous Taíno name of Yaquimel. In 1925, Jacmel was dubbed as the "City of Light," becoming the first in the Caribbean to have electricity.
Good to know
- Population: 137,966.
- Founded: 1698.
- Area: 443.9 sq km.
- Timezone: America/Port-au-Prince.