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Jamaica is Caribbean country. With an area of 10 991
km2 , Jamaica is the third largest island in
the Caribbean (after the islands of Cuba and
Hispaniola), located 145 kmsouth of Cuba. The main
cities are Kingston, the capital, with 594,500
inhabitants (2004) in the metropolitan area, Spanish
Town (134,900 inhabitants), Portmore (102,000
inhabitants), Montego Bay (89,200 inhabitants) and May
Pen (49 200 inhab.). Jamaica brings together a set of
geographical features that make it one of the most
popular tourist centers in the region. Thus, while the
coastal areas are flat, the interior of the island is
characterized by the existence of mountainous systems,
whose altitude varies between 1500 and 2100 meters (the
highest point is Monte Azul with 2 256 meters), and
plateaus of calcareous constitution, which justifies the
existence of numerous escarpments, depressions and
caves. Throughout the island, but especially inland,
there is an extremely rich and varied flora, with the
coastal plains being used mainly as cultivation areas.
Climate
The climate is humid tropical, with the highest rainfall
in the northern part of the island.
Economy
The Jamaican economy is characterized by its great
openness to the outside, given the growing importance of
some exportable agricultural products and, above all,
tourism. The pressure on the forest, resulting from the
expansion of agriculture and livestock, made Jamaica, in
the period 1981-1990, to register the highest rate of
deforestation in the world. The primary sector is still
one of the main supports of the economy: in agriculture,
the export of bananas and sugar and its derivatives (rum
and molasses) has remained at a good level, with
emphasis on the growth verified in the production of
citrus fruits, coffee, cocoa, pepper and tobacco; the
fishing activity is well structured and profitable. On
the other hand, the industrial sector has seen its
importance gradually increase, basing its development on
two poles: in the mining industry, through the
exploration of vast reserves of bauxite and alumina
(with a lot of output for export) and limestone, marble
and sand (for the glass industry); in the manufacturing
industry, textiles, metals and chemicals stand out, as
well as companies related to the canning and glass
industries. Finally, it is worth highlighting the
increasingly important role of tourism in the Jamaican
economy, especially with regard to obtaining foreign
exchange, sustained, not only by the excellent
geographical conditions, but also by the rich and
ever-present Jamaican culture. as well as companies
related to the canning and glass industries. Finally, it
is worth highlighting the increasingly important role of
tourism in the Jamaican economy, especially with regard
to obtaining foreign exchange, sustained, not only by
the excellent geographical conditions, but also by the
rich and ever-present Jamaican culture. as well as
companies related to the canning and glass
industries. Finally, it is worth highlighting the
increasingly important role of tourism in the Jamaican
economy, especially with regard to obtaining foreign
exchange, sustained, not only by the excellent
geographical conditions, but also by the rich and
ever-present Jamaican culture.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide
emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is
4.0.
Population
In 2006, it had a population of 2 758 124 inhabitants,
estimated to be 3.3 million inhabitants in 2025. The
birth and death rates are respectively 20.82% and
6.52%. Average life expectancy is 73.24 years. The value
of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.757 and the
value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is
0.750 (2001). Regarding ethnic composition, blacks
represent 75% of the population, followed by mestizos
(13%) and Indians (1%). Protestantism (43%) and
Catholicism (10%) are the main religions. The official
language is English.
History
When Christopher Columbus arrived on the Island of
Jamaica (then calling it Santiago Island) in 1494, he
found it inhabited by the Arawak people, residing in it
since the 7th century AD. C. However, with the arrival
of Spanish colonists from 1509 onwards, the Arawak
quickly disappeared as a result, above all, of European
diseases, to which they were quite vulnerable. In 1655,
the British conquered the island, expelling the
Spaniards in 1660. However, England had to deal with the
opposition of the former slaves of the Spanish
colonists, who took refuge in the interior mountains and
to which, later, the slaves who joined they fled English
domination. From 1661 to 1670, the island was virtually
occupied by pirates with the consent of England, since
during that period of time they provided valuable
assistance in the defense of the island in the face of
successive attacks by Spanish ships. This presence was
suppressed with the signing of the Treaty of Madrid
(1670), in which Spain recognized England's sovereignty
over Jamaica. From then on, the island quickly became
the most valuable colony, through the development of
sugar and cocoa production, which included the use of
slaves that the British massively transported from
Africa. Jamaica's economic heyday was reached during the
war that opposed France to England (1782-1806) and which
won. However, with the abolition of slavery in 1807, all
the existing farms on the island went into crisis, as
the shortage of labor meant a brutal increase in
production costs, that were not covered by the drop in
prices of sugar and cocoa recorded with the end of the
war. This crisis was slowly worsening over the years,
until, in 1865, a popular uprising caused violent
clashes between the population and the English forces,
causing a reinforcement of Power by the British
Crown. The new governor,SirJohn Peter Grant
then initiated a political, administrative and economic
restructuring project that put the island back on the
development path, highlighting the investment made in
banana production, which quickly became the main export
product. Political and administrative reforms aimed at
the gradual constitution of a representative government
that would act under the aegis of the British
Crown. However, already in the twentieth century, a
feeling of displeasure in the face of English rule began
to spread within the Jamaican population, especially
from the 1930s, when the great world economic depression
began to influence life on the island. This movement of
self-determination was the basis of important
constitutional changes (in 1944 and 1953) that,
first, established an assembly of representatives
elected by universal suffrage, and later gave
departmental responsibilities to the elected ministers,
although they safeguarded the existence of a legislative
council and an executive council (the elected ministers
were also present), both appointed by the England. And
even post-World War II economic development, supported
by subsidies from England, failed to prevent Jamaica
from proclaiming its independence on January 3, 1958,
while being a founding member of the West Indian
Federation (WIF). ), a union between several Caribbean
islands within the Commonwealth. Norman Manley, leader
of the National People's Party (PNP), was elected prime
minister in July 1959,SirAlexander Bustamante,
who adopted Jamaica's withdrawal from the WIF as a
primary measure, prompting its dissolution in May and
Jamaica's declaration as an independent state within the
Commonwealth on August 6 of that same year. The JLP
remained in power until 1972, when Michael Manley, son
of Norman Manley and leader of the PNP, won an
overwhelming victory. The program of Government of
Michael Manley consisted of the introduction of social
reforms of democratic characteristics, but these reforms
were undermined by the serious economic crisis that, in
turn, was responsible for the political approximation
between Jamaica and Cuba. This approach went back in
1981, with Edward Seaga, leader of the JLP, as Prime
Minister elected in 1980. Seaga favored closer relations
with the United States, which became Jamaica's main
trading partner with positive impacts on the country's
economy. However, this development situation was
suddenly interrupted in September 1988, with the passage
of Hurricane Gilberto, which caused incalculable losses
and greater than those recorded in 1980, when Hurricane
Allen passed. The 1989 elections restored the PNP to
power, with Michael Manley appointed prime
minister. Manley would be replaced in the 1993 elections
by his party colleague, Percival J. Patterson. After
these elections, the JLP announced that it would not
take part in future electoral events until the Jamaican
electoral system was reformed. with the passage of
Hurricane Gilberto, which caused incalculable losses and
greater than those recorded in 1980, when the passage of
Hurricane Allen. The 1989 elections restored the PNP to
power, with Michael Manley appointed prime
minister. Manley would be replaced in the 1993 elections
by his party colleague, Percival J. Patterson. After
these elections, the JLP announced that it would not
take part in future electoral events until the Jamaican
electoral system was reformed. with the passage of
Hurricane Gilberto, which caused incalculable losses and
greater than those recorded in 1980, when the passage of
Hurricane Allen. The 1989 elections restored the PNP to
power, with Michael Manley appointed prime
minister. Manley would be replaced in the 1993 elections
by his party colleague, Percival J. Patterson. After
these elections, the JLP announced that it would not
take part in future electoral events until the Jamaican
electoral system was reformed.
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