Jamaica
Iara & Kemilly 2ºC
TOPICS
History
Geography
States & Capital
Population & Lenguage
Government
Currency & Economy
Education
8
Culture & Religion
Jamaica Jamaica was a major producer of sugar and a
center for the slave trade during the colonial
History
period. British overzealous use of slaves
turned against them, and at the beginning of
the 19th century the number of blacks was
almost 10 times greater than that of whites.
A series of revolts followed and, in 1838,
slavery was formally abolished. After a long
independence movement, it became an
The Arawak and Taíno Indians, originally from independent country on August 6, 1962.
South America, settled on the island between
4,000 and 1,000 BC. The Taíno people called
the island "Xaymaca" in their language,
meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or "Land
of the Sources". "Yamaye" has been
suggested as an early Taíno name for the
island. Christopher Columbus claimed
Jamaica for Spain after landing there in 1494,
probably in Porto Seco, now called Discovery
Bay.The island was then colonized by Spain
and later conquered by the British in 1655.
Geography
Located in the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica is the
third largest island in the Greater Antilles, with
an area of 10,991 km²2. The country is known
for its mountains, tropical forests and fine
sand beaches. Jamaica is in the Atlantic
Ocean's hurricane belt, so the island
sometimes suffers damage from these
storms. It is an island with a tropical climate,
with the occurrence of cyclones and small
seasonal fluctuations. Ocean winds relieve
heat and humidity. The rainy season runs from
May to October. Strong winds are frequent,
as the island is located between areas of low
and high pressure.
States & Capital
Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes.
The parishes are grouped into 3
historic counties, which have no
administrative relevance.
The capital of Jamaica is Kingston, located
on the southeast coast of the island. It is the
country's cultural and economic center, as
well as the largest port.
Attractions
Dolphin Cove : In this theme park, visitors
can swim with dolphins, feed sharks and
have contact with animals such as
stingrays, fish and birds. The beach has a
restaurant and souvenir shop.
Dunn’s River Falls : a natural park formed
by waterfalls. As a difference, it has a 183
meter long waterfall that flows into the
sea.
Blue Lagoon : Blue Lagoon is located just
15 minutes from the city of Port Antonio in
the eastern part. It has crystal clear
emerald green water, mixed with the blue
green of the sea.
Population & Language
Jamaica's population is approximately 3 million, with an
ethnic diversity that includes African, European, Indian
and Chinese descent.
English is the official language of Jamaica, but the local
dialect known as Patois, which mixes elements of
English and African languages, is widely spoken. Natives
say that Patois emerged among slaves, who did not
want to be understood by their masters. The fact is
that the use of the dialect and the speed with which it
is spoken by Jamaicans makes tourists' heads spin,
especially those who do not speak English.
GOVERNMENT
Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional
monarchy. The head of state is King Charles III of
England, represented locally by the Governor-
General. The head of government is the Prime
Minister, currently Andrew Holness. The Jamaican
parliament is divided into two chambers: the
house of representatives and the senate.
Jamaica has a two-party system, with the
People's National Party and the Jamaican Labor
Party alternating in power frequently.
CURRENCY & ECONOMY
The economy is diversified, with
The Jamaican dollar (JMD) has been sectors such as tourism, mining,
the official currency of Jamaica since agriculture, manufacturing, financial
1969. It is usually abbreviated with "J$" services and insurance. Agriculture is
or "D$J$". Jamaican coins have the one of the country's main economic
Jamaican coat of arms on their activities, focusing on: sugar cane,
obverse. cocoa, coffee, corn, cassava, bananas,
Values: tobacco and various fruits. In addition
Coins - 1 Cent, 10 Cents, 25 Cents, $1, to agriculture, Jamaica also stands out
$5, $10, $20 for mining, being one of the largest
Banknotes - 50 dollars, 100 dollars, 500 exporters of bauxite ore. Tourism also
dollars, 1000 dollars, 5000 dollars. plays a relevant role, as the country
attracts approximately 1.3 million
visitors each year.
EDUCATION
Formal education is made up of early Education is free from the first levels
childhood, primary, secondary and of education to secondary and higher
tertiary levels of education. The early levels, in the latter through the Human
childhood level of education consists Employment and Resource Training
of basic preschool education, which program, which is open to the entire
involves children between 2 and 5 national population of working age and
years old. The primary level of through an extensive network of
education is aimed at children scholarships for the various private
between 3 and 12 years old, while the universities
secondary level involves high schools
aimed at people between 10 and 19
years old. The tertiary level
encompasses bachelor's, master's and
doctorate degrees.
Culture & religion
Jamaican culture is known worldwide, especially for music, such as reggae,
popularized by Bob Marley, ska, mento, rocksteady and dub, these styles also
influenced the development of several others, such as punk rock and American rap.
The island has a rich tradition in sports (notably athletics), and Jamaican athletes tend
to excel a lot considering it is a small country. The cuisine is also rich, with famous
dishes such as jerk chicken.
Christianity is the largest religion practiced in Jamaica, the Christian faith gained acceptance
among abolitionists because British Christians and Baptist missionaries joined former slaves in
the fight against slavery in the country. The Rastafarian movement has around 24 thousand
followers. Other religions in Jamaica include Jehovah's Witnesses (2% of the population), the
Bahá'í faith, which has around eight thousand adherents, Buddhism and Hinduism. There is a
small population of Jews, about 200, Muslims, who claim to have about five thousand
adherents, as do Mormons.
Green leaves that
can be okra,
spinach or
amaranth. The
leaves are cooked
Typical Foods
with onions,
peppers, garlic, Jerk Chick
allspice and en
sometimes
coconut milk.
a ll It consists of
C
a lo chicken meat
o marinated in a
mixture of
seasonings,
which includes
The patty has a
maican Patty allspice, red
buttery pie crust, Ja pepper, garlic,
often filled with a onion, thyme
variety of fillings, and other
the most common spices.
being seasoned
ground beef, but it
can also be found
with chicken,
vegetables or even
fish.
literature
One of the most distinctive aspects of Jamaican literature is the use of Patois, a creole language
based on English1. Furthermore, a vast diversity of writers and writing styles in Jamaican
literature shows how the country should be considered a major presence on the world artistic
scene.
Jamaican authors have explored themes such as identity, colonialism, social inequality and
spirituality.
1. Claude McKay: One of the first 2. Jean Rhys: Born in Dominica, but 3. Marlon James: Contemporary
4. Michelle Cliff: Writer and activist,
Jamaican poets to gain international raised in Jamaica, Rhys is known for author, James won the Man Booker
Cliff addressed issues of race,
recognition, McKay wrote about the her novel “Wide Sargasso Sea”, a Prize for his epic “A Brief History of
sexuality and colonialism in her
black experience in America and reinterpretation of the classic “Jane Seven Killings”, which explores life in
works. His novel “No Telephone to
Jamaica. His poem “If We Must Die” Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë, who Jamaica during the 1970s and 1980s,
Heaven” is a powerful read.
is an anthem of resistance. voices the character Bertha Mason including the Bob Marley bombing.
the end
Wah Gwaan!
