Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown is a Canadian city and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, with a population of 39,000 as of 2001. In 1995 the city of Charlottetown amalgamated with the communities of Sherwood, Parkdale, Hillsborough Park, West Royalty, and East Royalty to form the new City of Charlottetown. The first European settlers were the French, who founded the city in 1720, naming it Port la Joie. Most of their descendants, the Acadians, were expelled by the British in 1755 for refusing to take an oath to be loyal to England.

Charlottetown was laid out by the British in 1768 and named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort of George III of the United Kingdom. Its growth was slow until the middle of the 19th century, when it became noted for the sailing vessels it built for fishing and lumber transport. The Charlottetown Conference of the 1864 was the first step toward Canadian confederation.

In the city is the University of Prince Edward Island.