Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic Coordinates:
18 15 N, 77 30 W
Map References:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area: Area—Comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land Boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,022 km
Maritime Claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain:
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
Natural Resources:
bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Land Use:
Irrigated Land:
350 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural Hazards:
hurricanes (especially July to November)
Environment—Current
Issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted
Environment—International Agreements: Geography—Note:
strategic location between Cayman Trench and
Population:
2,652,443 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: Population growth rate:
0.64% (1999 est.)
Birth rate:
20.22 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death
rate: 5.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration
rate: -8.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex Ratio:
Infant
mortality rate: 13.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life Expectancy
At Birth: Total
Fertility Rate: 2.26 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
Ethnic
Groups: black 90.4%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Religions:
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Languages:
English, Creole
Literacy:
total: 10,990 sq km
land: 10,830 sq km
water: 160 sq km
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak
2,256 m
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 17%
other: 39% (1993 est.)
by industrial waste, sewage, and oil
spills; damage to coral reefs;
air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal
0-14 years: 31% (male 421,127; female 402,593)
15-64 years: 62% (male 819,956; female 828,176)
65 years and over: 7% (male 79,747; female 100,844) (1999
est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
total population: 75.62 years
male: 73.22 years
female: 78.13 years (1999 est.)
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican
Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.6%
Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%,
Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%,
Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%,
other including some spiritual cults 34.7%
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 85%
male: 80.8%
female: 89.1% (1995 est.)
Country Name:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Jamaica
Data Code: JM
Government Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Kingston
Administrative Divisions:
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston,
Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine,
Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)
National Holiday:
Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)
Constitution:
6 August 1962
Legal
system: based on English common law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch:
Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992)
and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993)
Cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed
by the monarch on the recommendation
of the prime minister;
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative Branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the
recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition;
ruling party 13 seats, opposition eight seats) and the House of Representatives
(60 Seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)
Election Results:
percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PNP 50, JLP 10
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court
(judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
Political Parties and Leaders:
People's National Party or PNP [P.
J. PATTERSON];
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward
SEAGA];
National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders:
Rastafarians (black religious/racial
cultists, pan-Africanists);
New Beginnings Movement or NBM
International Organization Participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic Representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Diplomatic
Representation From the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd
floor, Kingston
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [1] (809) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: [1] (809) 926-6743
Flag Description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles
green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
Economy—Overview:
Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite GDP—Real Growth Rate:
-2% (1998 est.)
GDP—Per Capita:
purchasing power parity—$3,300 (1998 est.)
GDP—Composition By Sector:
Population Below Poverty
Line: 34.2% (1992 est.)
Household Income
or Consumption By Percentage Share: Inflation Rate (consumer
prices): 9.9% (1998 est.)
Labor Force:
1.14 million (1996)
Labor Force—By Occupation:
services 41%, agriculture
22.5%, industry 19% (1989)
Unemployment Rate:
16.5% (1997 est.)
Budget: Industries:
tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures
Industrial Production
Growth Rate: NA%
Electricity—Production:
6.125 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—Production
By Source: Electricity—Consumption:
6.125 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity—Exports:
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—Imports:
0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—Products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, Exports:
$1.7 billion (1997)
Exports—Commodities:
alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum
Exports—Partners:
US 33.3%, EU (excluding UK and Norway) Imports:
$2.8 billion (1997)
Imports—Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, Imports—Partners: US
47.7%, EU (excluding UK) 12.8%, Debt—External:
$4.2 billion (1997 est.)
Economic Aid—Recipient:
$102.7 million (1995)
Currency:
1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents
Exchange Rates:
Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1—35.57 Fiscal Year:
1 April—31 March
(alumina and bauxite account for more
than half of exports) and tourism.
Since assuming office in 1992, Prime
Minister PATTERSON has eliminated
most price controls, streamlined tax
schedules, and privatized government enterprises.
Continued tight monetary and fiscal
policies have helped slow inflation
although inflationary pressures are mounting—and
stabilize the exchange rate,
but have resulted in the slowdown of
economic growth
(moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in
1995).
In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%)
and remained negative through 1998.
Serious problems include: high interest
rates; increased foreign competition;
the weak financial condition of business
in general resulting in
receiverships or closures and downsizings
of companies;
the shift in investment portfolios to
non-productive,
short-term high yield instruments; a
pressured, sometimes sliding,
exchange rate; a widening merchandise
trade deficit;
and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to
various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector.
Jamaica's medium-term prospects will
depend upon encouraging
investment in the productive sectors,
maintaining a competitive exchange rate,
stabilizing the labor environment, selling off reacquired firms,
and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.
GDP:
purchasing power parity—$8.8 billion (1998 est.)
agriculture: 7.4%
industry: 42.1%
services: 50.5% (1997 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 31.9% (1991)
revenues: $2.27 billion
expenditures: $3.66 billion, including capital expenditures
of $1.265 billion (FY98/99 est.)
fossil fuel: 97.96%
hydro: 2.04%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats,
milk
17.1%, Canada 14.1%, UK 13.4%, Norway
6.1%, Caricom 3.4%
construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals
Caricom 10.2%, Latin America 6.7%, UK
3.7% (1997)
(December 1998), 35.404 (1997), 37.120
(1996),
35.142 (1995), 33.086 (1994)
Exchange Rate: US$1 = J$45. 2
Relative Costs:
cheap meal: US$2-5 restaurant
meal: US$10-20
cheap room: US$15-25 hotel room: $US30-60
Jamaica is relatively inexpensive compared to other Caribbean islands,
though how much you spend depends largely
on the style in which you travel.
Budget travellers will need around US$25-30 per day, while those staying
in comfortable hotels and eating at tourist restaurants
will need at least US$75 per day - add
another $US50 per day if you hire a car.
The Jamaican dollar is the only legal
tender though prices
are often quoted in US dollars, which
are widely accepted.
European currencies are generally frowned
upon so it's best to
have US dollar travellers' cheques. All
major brands of
travellers' cheques and credit cards
are accepted in Jamaica.
You can exchange money at banks, licensed
exchange bureaus or hotels,
though the rate at hotels is usually
2% to 5% below the bank rate.
Plenty of Jamaicans will approach you
to change
Jamaican dollars on the black market.
This is illegal and the black market
rate is usually only 5% to 10%
better than the bank rate so it's not
worth the risk of falling for a scam.
The government charges a 15% General
Consumption Tax
on hotel and restaurant bills and most
purchases from shops.
A 10% tip is considered normal in most
hotels and restaurants,
though some restaurants add a 10% to
15% service charge,
in which case there's no need to leave
an additional tip.
Most prices in shops are fixed but bargaining (higgling)
at street stalls and markets is expected.
Bargaining occasionally gets
a bit brusque so do your best to keep
things good natured.
Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1997)
Radios: 1.973 million (1997)
Television Broadcast Stations: 7 (1997)
Televisions: 330,000 (1992 est.)
Railways:
total: 370 km
standard gauge: 370 km 1.435-m gauge; note
207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway
Corporation in common carrier service,
but are no longer operational; the remaining track
is privately owned and used to transport bauxite
Highways:
total: 18,700 km
paved: 13,100 km
unpaved: 5,600 km (1997 est.)
Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km
Ports and Harbors: Merchant Marine:
Airports:
36 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
Airports—with
unpaved runways:
Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston,
Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio,
Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 3,478 GRT/5,878 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 23 (1998 est.)
Military Branches:
Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground
Forces,
Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica
Constabulary Force
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 715,260 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—fit
for military service:
males age 15-49: 503,667 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching
military age annually:
males: 26,108
(1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $47.9 million (FY97/98 est.)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
It was originally filled with Arawak Indians.
Then it became a territorial fight among the various European countries.
Knowing all that, Jamaica has a lot of influences among them.
You'll be able to taste that in their food.
It has a French influence, Cajun, etc.
It was a target for the pirates to invade.
It's now a cool place to have a vacation.
They are very friendly. They have traditional views.
They live a simple life not filled with material things.
They believe friends and family is important.
They will make you happy because they are happy.
They are a poor and rich classed society.
Some people live in shacks while others live in houses.
You won't find many apartments where we are going.
It's mostly sea and traditional food.
They use lime in their cooking instead of lemon
since lemons aren't from the island.
You'll see quite a few meals that are prepared
with yummy vegetables that are native to that island.
The economy is mainly focused on tourism.
Although they have a few factories for bauxite mining
in the manufacturing of aluminum and the harvesting of their
famous expensive Blue Mountain Coffee,
they are really into the tourism thing and that's making you feel good.
They are nice with little shops and a few of your favorite franchise
fast food places. But since you're there for your first time,
you might want to get a taste of eating their foods.
80 to 100 degrees. But hey, you'll be enjoying the water a lot through our adventure.
Bring your passport.
If they come to your
country, you expect them to be on good behavior.
They don't want you to
have a bad manner license.
When you go shopping, it's duty free which saves you quite a bit on prices.
When you shop outside a designated store, you need to take haggling lessons.
Yes, they're included in the tour.
Disputes—International: none
Illicit
Drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from
Central and South America
to North America and Europe;
illicit cultivation of cannabis;
government has an active
manual cannabis eradication program