JAMAICA

The following is from Wikipedia.org and WorldAtlas.com

JAMAICA

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494, Jamaica remained a Spanish colony until captured by the English in 1655. It gained its independence in 1962, and is an important force in the tourism economy and politics of the Caribbean. It's about the size of the U.S. State of Connecticut, and measures 4,400 square miles. It's 145 miles from east to west, and 20 and 50 miles from north to south.Jamaica is dominated by mountains, mostly covered with lush, green forests. Blue Mountain is the highest point, at 7,402 feet. White beaches suround this tropical island, and over 100 small rivers (mostly streams) flow from the mountains to the Caribbean coast. Located 95 miles south of Cuba, Jamaica is known for many things - but certainly on top of any list are the numerous idyllic beach resorts, local pirate history, Reggae music, culture and food, and of course, delicious Blue Mountain Coffee.

JAMAICA is an

island nation of the Greater Antilles, 150 miles (240 kilometers) in length and as much as 50 miles (85 kilometers) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea.

It is 391 miles (635 kilometers) east of the Central American mainland, 93 miles (150 kilometers) south of Cuba, and 112 miles (180 kilometers) west of the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are situated.

Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning either the "Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after Canada and the United States.

JAMAICA is the third largest island in the Caribbean, and the most populous English speaking island. The island of Jamaica is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and both cities are located on the coast. Chief towns include the capital city Kingston, Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, and the city of Montego Bay.
The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are relatively dry rain-shadow areas.

Demographics
Jamaica's population is consisted mainly of African descent, compromising about 90.9 percent of the demographics, other populations on the island are as followed: East Indian 1.3%, White 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, Mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%.Immigrations from countries such as China, Colombia, St. Lucia and many more areas of the Caribbean and South Asian countries have seen a steady rise.
The language of government and education is English, although Jamaican Creole is more commonly spoken by the vast majority of the population. Most Jamaicans can use both Jamaican Creole and English depending on the circumstances and often combine the two. British English is the most obvious influence on Jamaican Creole, but it includes words and syntax from various African languages, Spanish, Arawak, French, Chinese, Portuguese, and East Indian languages which is evidence of the long standing mixing of the people. In general, Creole differs from English in pronunciation, grammar, nominal orthography and syntax, having many intonations to indicate meaning and mood. The language's characteristics include pronouncing /þ/ as [t] and /ð/ as [d], and omitting some initial consonant sounds, principally /h/. For example, the word "there" is pronounced [dɪɹ]. A number of linguists classify Jamaican Creole as a separate language, while a small minority consider it to be a dialect of English.
According to CIA research, 65.3% of Jamaica's population are Christians, the majority being Protestant, which is primarily due to the influence of British colonialism, and the later influence of denominations from the U.S. Today, the five largest denominations in Jamaica are: Church of God, Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal and Anglican.
The largest non-Christian movement are the Rastafari, which was founded on the island and reveres the late Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. Other religions in Jamaica include: Bahai, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. Practisers of Spiritism can also be found on the island.

Economy of Jamaica
Jamaica has natural resources, primarily bauxite, and an ideal climate conducive to agriculture and tourism. The discovery of bauxite in the 1940s and the subsequent establishment of the bauxite-alumina industry shifted Jamaica's economy from sugar and bananas. By the 1970s, Jamaica had emerged as a world leader in export of these minerals as foreign investment increased.
The country faces some serious problems but has the potential for growth and modernization. The Jamaican economy suffered its fourth consecutive year of negative growth (0.4%) in 1999. In 2000, Jamaica may have experienced its first year of positive growth since 1995. All sectors excepting bauxite/alumina, energy, and tourism shrank in 1998 and 1999. This reduction in aggregate demand and output is the result of the government's continued tight[clarify] macroeconomic policies. In part, these policies have been successful. Inflation has fallen from 25% in 1995 to 6.1% in 2000. Through periodic intervention in the market, the central bank also has prevented any abrupt drop in the exchange rate. The Jamaican dollar has been slipping, despite intervention, resulting in an average exchange rate of J$61.32 to the US$1.00 (April 2007).
Weakness in the financial sector, speculation, and lower levels of investment erode confidence in the productive sector. The government continues its efforts to raise new sovereign debt in local and international financial markets in order to meet its U.S. dollar debt obligations, to mop up liquidity to maintain the exchange rate and to help fund the current budget deficit.
Jamaican Government economic policies encourage foreign investment in areas that earn or save foreign exchange, generate employment, and use local raw materials. The government provides a wide range of incentives to investors, including remittance facilities to assist them in repatriating funds to the country of origin; tax holidays which defer taxes for a period of years; and duty-free access for machinery and raw materials imported for approved enterprises. Free trade zones have stimulated investment in garment assembly, light manufacturing, and data entry by foreign firms. However, over the last 5 years, the garment industry has suffered from reduced export earnings, continued factory closures, and rising unemployment. This may be attributed to intense competition, absence of NAFTA parity, drug contamination delaying deliveries, and the high cost of operation, including security costs. The Government of Jamaica hopes to encourage economic activity through a combination of privatization, financial sector restructuring, reduced interest rates, and by boosting tourism and related productive activities.

Quick Facts and Figures

Official Name: Jamaica

Capital City: Kingston (590,000)

Languages: English, Creole

Official Currency: Jamaican Dollar

Religions: Protestant, others

Population: 2,772,000

Land Area 10,830 sq km (4,181 sq miles)

Latitude/Longitude: 18º 15N, 77º 30W

Highest Point: Blue Mountain (2,256 meters)