Facts and stats about Jamaica
Author: chris.lockyer781
The beautiful island of Jamaica was first inhabited by the people called the Arawaks or Tainos more than 2,500 years ago. Those people were originally from South America. They named the island, Xaymaca, which is translated to mean, ‘the land of wood and water.’
Jamaica which is 4411 square feet in size is the third largest island in the Caribbean and the largest English speaking nation in the region.
Jamaica is an island country located in the Caribbean Sea. It is the third largest island in the greater Antilles. The island is 4,240 sq mi in size. It can be found about 145 kilometers, or 90 miles south of Cuba, and 191 kilometers or 119 miles west of Hispaniola, on which sits the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The Spanish took over from the Arawaks in 1494 when the traveler, Christopher Columbus came upon the island.
Jamaica became a colony of Britain in 1655 following an attack on the Spanish who occupied the country. The British ruled Jamaica until 1962 when Jamaica gained full independence. On August 6, 1962, Jamaica was granted its independence from England. Jamaica now has its own constitution which sets out the laws by which the people are governed. The constitution provides for the freedom, equality and justice for all who dwell in the country.
A two major political parties have formed the government alternately between 1962 and the present. The Peoples National Party has led the country a total of 29 years and the Jamaica Labour Party a total of 23 years.
Jamaica currently has a population of approximately 2.7 million inhabitants which is made up of 51% females and 49% males.
The country is a member of the British Commonwealth and therefore has Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. She is represented in Jamaica by a governor general, Sir Patrick Allen. The Prime Minister is Portia Simpson Miller and the leader of the opposition is Andrew Holness.
Jamaica is best known worldwide for its Reggae music through artists such as Bob Marley, Sean Paul, Dennis Brown and Jimmy Cliff. It is also a powerhouse in track and field with names such Usain Bolt, Merlene Ottey, Donald Quarrie and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
- Agriculture 119
- Background 8
- Conflict 1
- Cost of living 53
- Crime 79
- Culture 15
- Disasters 4
- Economy 2730
- Education 432
- Energy 680
- Environment 203
- Geography 84
- Government 170
- Health 284
- Import 2
2.91 million
Population. Ranked 139th in 2013.
$5,471.72
GDP per capita. Ranked 87th in 2012.
10,830 sq km
Sq. km. Ranked 153th in 2008.
Jamaica has received a $510 million loan package from the World Bank to help revive its floundering economy and restructure the private and public sectors. This is good news for the Jamaican government which is considered among the most indebted countries. The poverty rate has risen from 10 to 17 percent between 2007 and 2010. The World Bank revealed that unemployment also climbed to more than 15 percent.
The World Bank said this loan will be earmarked for three vital areas of support. These are modernization of the public sector by reinforcing government competence; promoting investments in high potential sectors like logistics and agriculture; and, building up the government’s capacity to respond to natural disasters and social protection programs. The economy is heavily reliant on services which are responsible for over 60 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. It also obtains foreign exchange from tourism, foreign remittances and bauxite/alumina companies. However, the government is confronted with the challenge of implementing fiscal discipline to maintain debt payments and address problems that get in the way of economic development. Finally, it has to tackle high energy costs necessary for expanding the economy,
The government of Jamaica is a combination of a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The Queen of England is the Jamaican Monarch. The Prime Minister, Governor General and Cabinet run the government’s affairs. The queen appoints the Prime while the PM designates a Governor General. The latter chooses members of the cabinet upon the advice of the prime minister. The current Prime Minister is Portia Simpson-Miller who was inaugurated in January of 2012.
jaacosta47 15 May 2014