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INTRODUCTION:
Jamaica is one of the three islands in the Northern Caribbean forming the Greater Antilles. It is the largest English-speaking country situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 146 miles from east to west. Jamaica is well placed on the world’s major shipping and airline routes. It is home to a population of 2.6 million people. Jamaica was a Spanish colony till it attained independence in 1962 .Jamaica is decorated by spectacular beaches, stunning landscapes and picturesque mountains. Reggae music, food and a vibrant culture makes up the island along with its scenic beauty.
Tourists wishing to visit Jamaica can get information from the Jamaican embassy or the consulate. The international Airports located at MontegoBay and Kingston also provide information on Jamaica to whoever is visiting the country. Security information can be got from the internet. BothKingston and Montego Bay provides medical facilities as well as health information.
General Information :
Capital Kingston
Coordinates 17°59′N 76°48′W
Population 2.6million
Official language English
National language Jamaican Patois
Currency Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Time zone (UTC-5)
Calling code +1-876
History :
Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak Indians when Columbus explored it in 1494 and named it St. Iago. It remained under Spanish rule until 1655, when it became a British possession. Buccaneers operated from Port Royal, also the capital, until it fell into the sea in an earthquake in 1692. Disease decimated the Arawaks, so black slaves were imported to work on the sugar plantations. During the 17th and 18th centuries the British were consistently harassed by the Maroons, armed bands of freed slaves roaming the countryside. Abolition of the slave trade (1807), emancipation of the slaves (1833), and a drop in sugar prices eventually led to a depression that resulted in an uprising in 1865. The following year Jamaica became a Crown colony, and conditions improved considerably. Introduction of bananas reduced dependence on sugar.
On May 5, 1953, Jamaica gained internal autonomy, and, in 1958, super headed the organization of the West Indies Federation. A nationalist labor leader, Sir Alexander Bustamente, later campaigned to withdraw from the federation. After a referendum, Jamaica became independent on Aug. 6, 1962. Michael Manley, of the socialist People’s National Party, became prime minister in 1972.
Geography :
Jamaica is the third largest island and the fourth largest country in the Caribbean. The island is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and cities are located on the coast. Chief towns and cities include the capital Kingston,Portmore , Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Ríos, Port Antonio, Negril, and Montego Bay. The Kingston Harbour is one of the largest naturalharbours in the world.
Environment :
The island of Jamaica is particularly fertile; some of the flora and fauna of Jamaica have been introduced by colonists including the banana, the breadfruit and the mongoose.
Jamaica’s forests include many colorful birds such as parrots, parakeets, and hummingbirds. Among the island’s trees are cedar, coconut trees, ebony, mahoe (the national tree), mahogany, rosewood, silk cotton trees (kapok) and the lignum vitae (tree of life) whose flower is the Jamaican national flower.
The island has suffered badly from deforestation caused by land clearing for coffee, sugar and banana plantations. The environment also suffers from the use of pesticides and fertilizers and from the mining and processing of bauxite, the source of aluminum.
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