Jamaica
is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 240
kilometres (150 mi )
in length and as much as 85 kilometres (50 mi) in
width situated in the Caribbean
Sea. It is 635 kilometres (391 mi) east of the
Central American mainland, 150 kilometres (93 mi)
south of Cuba, and 180 kilometres (112 mi) 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 , then the British
West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica, the country's
population is composed mainly of the descendants of
former African
slaves. It is the third most populous Anglophone country
in the Americas, after the United
States and Canada .
Commonwealth
of Jamaica
Flag
Coat
of arms
Motto:
Out of many, one people
Anthem:
Jamaica, Land We Love God
Save the Queen
Capital
Kingston17°59′N
76°48′W
Largest city
Kingston
Official language(s)
English
Government
Parliamentary
democracy
-
Monarch
Elizabeth
II
-
Governor-General
Kenneth
Hall
-
Prime Minister
Portia
Simpson-Miller
Independence
-
From the UK
August
6, 1962
Area
-
Total
10,991 km² (166th)
4,244 sq mi
-
Water (%)
1.5
Population
-
July 2005 est.
2,651,000 (138th)
-
Density
252/km² (49th)
GDP
(PPP)
2005
estimate
-
Total
$11.69
billion (131st)
-
Per capita
$4,300 (114th)
HDI
(2003)
0.738 (98th) – medium
Currency
Dollar
(JMD)
Time
zone
(UTC-5)
Internet
TLD
.jm
Calling
code
+1-876
WORLD
GEOGRAPHY
Adelaide
Aden
- Yemen
Africa
Alaska
Amsterdam
Antarctic
Argentina
Athens
Australia
Austria
Aztecs
- Mexico
Bangladesh
Beachy
Head, England
Belgium
Berlin
Bonneville,
Utah - History
Brazil
Brighton
- West Pier
Canada
Canary
Islands
Cape
York - Au
Cayman
Islands
Chichester
Harbour
China
Columbia
- S. America
Columbo
- Sri Lanka
Cowes,
Isle of Wight
Cyprus
Czechoslovakia
Darwin
- Australia
Denmark
Eastbounre
Pier, England
Earthquakes
Egypt
Equator
Europe
Falmouth,
Cornwall
Fiji
Finland
France
Galapagos
Islands
Geography
Links
Geography
Records
Geography
Resources
Geography
Statistics
Germany
Gibraltar
- Links
Greece
Greenland
Hawaii
Holland
the Nertherlands
Hollywood,
California, LA
Hong
Kong
Hungary
Hurricanes
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Links
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle
of Man
Isle
of Wight
- The
Needles
Israel
Italy
Jakarta
- Java
Jamaica
Japan
Kent,
England
Korea
Kuwait
Life
on Earth
London
- Big
Ben
London
Eye
London
Houses
Parliament
London
- Buckingham
Palace
London
- Old
Bailey
London
- Overview
London
- The City
London
- Tower Bridge
London
- Trafalgar
Square
Luxembourg
Maya
Empire
- Central America
Melbourne,
Australia
Mexico
Mountains
Naples-
Italy
National
Geographic
New
York
New
Zealand
Norway
Oceans
and Seas
Pakistan
Palermo
- Sicily
Palma
- Malorca
Panama
Canal
- Links
Paris
Planet
Earth
Poland
Port
Moresby - PNG
Port
Said - Egypt
Portugal
Rome
Russia
Salt
Lake City - Utah
Saudi
Arabia
Scotland
Singapore
South
America
Southampton
Spain
- Espana
Sri
Lanka - Links
Stonehenge
Suez
Canal
Sussex,
England Index
Sweden
Switzerland
Tahiti
- Polynesia
- Links
Taiwan
Thailand
Tokyo,
Japan
Tonga
- Polynesia
Toronto
Trinidad
- Lesser Antilles
Tsunami
Tunbridge
Wells, England
Turkey
UAE
- United Arab Emirates
UK
Statistics
Ukraine
United
Kingdom
United
Kingdom
- Gov
USA
Venice
Vienna
Vietnam
Volcanoes
Wales
Washington
D.C.
Wealden
iron industry
World
Peace Supporters
A
taste for adventure capitalists
Solar
Cola - a healthier alternative
