JAMAICA INFO

JAMAICA POPULATION
The population of Jamaica was 2.4 million in 1990, with an average annual rate of growth of 1.1% from 1980 to 1990. Approximately 45% of the people are 19 years or under, and a little less than 8% are above 65. Based on the census of 1982, at least 48% of the population was urban; in 1943, the census estimated the urban population at that time to be 15%.

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JAMAICA PEOPLE
The people of Jamaica have emerged from a historical process in which peoples of all the continents were brought together within a well-defined social hierarchy.

The vast majority are of African descent, but there are well established, but small, Indian, Chinese, Arab, and European communities as well. Jamaican culture is a particular synthesis of all these cultures.

Popular culture is heavily influenced by the African heritage, while formal behavior is unmistakably British in style. While it is arguable that the popular speech of Jamaicans is a distinct language from English, it was derived largely from English which has been the official language for over 300 years. The influence of the USA is becoming more evident, reflecting the closer ties with that society.

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JAMAICA CLIMATE
In winter, the average temperature is 75 degrees; in summer it's about 80. Year-round, temperatures are usually five to 10 degrees cooler in the mountain. Typically sunny year-round, Jamaica has rainy months in May, June, September and October. Jamaica's 4-day weather forecast.

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JAMAICA TEMPERATURE
How hot or cold a place is depends mainly on how far it is north or south of the equator. The higher the latitude the colder the climate. What is the latitude of Jamaica? If you look at the globe you will see that Jamaica is in the tropical zone south of the Tropic of Cancer. However, its distance north of the equator has a moderating effect on its temperature, and hence Jamaica is said to have a semi-tropical climate.

Apart from latitude, the greatest factor in determining the temperature of a country is altitude. Most of the effective heat we enjoy is radiated from the earth which has been warmed by the sun. In reaching the surface of the earth the sun's rays have to pass through layers of atmosphere, a process which causes it to lose some of its heat. If we imagine these layers of atmosphere as blankets retaining the heat radiated by the earth's surface we will see that by climbing above these layers it will become colder. Temperature decreases by 1.7 degrees Celsius (or 1 degree Fahrenheit) for every 100 meters (300 ft) of ascent.

Because Jamaica is a very mountainous country, temperatures vary widely in different parts of the island. For example, the temperature might drop to about 10 degrees C or 50 degrees F in Mandeville, 626 m (2,061 ft), while in Kingston the mean temperature is 26 degrees C or 78 degrees F. On the whole, Jamaica's climate has no extremes, especially since the surrounding sea has a moderating effect on the weather, and the variety of climate is considered healthy and beneficial.

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JAMAICA WINDS
Local winds, from the sea by day and from the land at night, are very noticeable in Jamaica because it is an island. The prevailing winds in the West Indies are from the north-east. Remember that warm air is lighter than cold air, and that winds blow from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

At the equator, the hot air is continually rising, creating an area of low pressure. The air on both sides of the equator, being cooler and heavier, moves in to take the place of the rising air, hence there is a constant movement of air towards the equator, from the north and south.

However, since the earth turns from west to east, the winds do not blow due south or north, but are slightly deflected so that they come from a north-east direction north of the equator, and from a south-east direction south of the equator. These movements of air are called the Trade Winds. Because they are blowing from a cooler to a warmer part of the earth, they are able to hold more moisture.

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JAMAICA RAINFALL
The heat of the sun, like the fire under a kettle, turns water from the various water bodies of the world into water vapour. This process is called evaporation. If the temperature of air is lowered, the water vapour it contains in the form of clouds will fall as rain. This process is called condensation. Jamaica receives two kinds of rainfall: convectional and relief. It does not receive monsoon rains because it is not a large land mass.

Moisture-laden air may be cooled and thus forced to give up its water vapour in the form of rain by 1) rising to colder regions of the atmosphere or 2) being forced upwards by land masses in its path. In both cases condensation takes place and rain falls.

In the first case, when evaporation takes place, the moist air rises, cools and condenses and rain falls. Rains originating in this way are known as convectional rains. When the moisture-bearing trade winds come upon a high mountain range, they are forced to rise; condensation takes place, and the rain which results is known as relief rainfall because it is caused by a change in altitude. The wind deposits its moisture on the windward side of the mountains, and then descends as a dry wind on the leeward side of the mountains. This dry area is known as the rain shadow.

Relief rainfall causes Port Antonio on the windward side of the Blue Mountains to receive an average of 430 mm (17 inches) of rain in November while Kingston, in the rain shadow, receives only 175 mm (7 inches). Antigua and Barbados, which are two flat islands, have a lower rainfall than the more mountainous Caribbean islands.

As a rule, rainfall is much heavier on the North Coast of Jamaica, which receives the relief rainfall provided by the mountains running from west to east, than on the south coast, which receives chiefly convectional rain.

Jamaica has two rainy seasons, the first in May and the other in October and November. As a rule, rain follows the sun. It appears to pass over all places between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn twice a year. In Jamaica the sun is directly overhead about the second week in May and in early August. Notice that the periods of heavy rainfall reach their maximum shortly after the sun has been directly overhead.

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JAMAICA CURRENCY
Goods and services are usually purchased in Jamaican dollars, although prices are sometimes posted in U.S. dollars, then converted. Credit cards are widely accepted.

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JAMAICA DRIVING
Good roads and highways connect most of the vacation destinations. Remind clients to drive British-style, on the left side of the road. Also, drivers must learn to watch out for the many goats, bicyclists and pedestrians who also use the roads. Valid U.S. licenses are acceptable.

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JAMAICA TIME
Jamaica is on Eastern Standard Time - but does not observe daylight-savings time, which means that in summer it's one hour behind EDST, and in winter it's the same time as the Eastern US and Canada.

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JAMAICA SPORTS
Golf, tennis, polo, bicycle racing, cricket, soccer, water-sports, horse racing, rafting and mountain climbing.

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JAMAICA FOOD
A spicy, colorful mix of cuisine includes ackee and saltfish; rice and peas; jerk chicken, fish and pork; curried goat; pepperpot soup; roasted yams,; banana fritters; salads; fruits and exotic desserts.

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JAMAICA MUSIC
The country's music consists of folk ballads, work songs, revivalist hymns and, of course, reggae.

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JAMAICA ARTS AND CRAFTS
Creations in straw, clay, fabric, shell, wood and semi-precious stone are on display at open-air markets and small galleries. Crafts are influenced by African, Indian, European and Arawak cultures. Depicting life and landscape, Jamaican paintings feature bright colors and bold lines.

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JAMAICA THEATRE
From the 19th-century Ward Theater to innovative little theaters and thriving centers for drama in Kingston, Jamaica features a broad range of theatrical treats. Plays depict a variety of Jamaican experiences.

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JAMAICA RELIGION
Christianity, in its various denominations, some indigenous, is the religion of the vast majority of Jamaicans. There are, however, other religions observed and practiced in Jamaica by relatively smaller numbers of people, such as Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism.

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JAMAICA NATIONAL ANTHEM

Eternal Father bless our land,
Guide us with thy mighty hand
Keep us free from evil powers,
Be our light through countless hours.
To our leaders great defender,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, truth be ours forever,
Jamaica Land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

Teach us true respect for all,
Stir response to duty's call.
Strengthen us the weak to cherish,
Give us vision lest we perish.
Knowledge send us Heavenly Father,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, Truth be ours forever,
Jamaica, land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

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JAMAICA PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Before God and All mankind.
I pledge the love and loyalty of my heart
The wisdom and courage of my mind,
The strength and vigour of my body
in the service of my fellow citizen.

I promise to stand up for justice,
Brotherhood and Peace, to work
diligently and creatively,
To think generously and honestly, so that,
Jamaica, may under God,
increase in beauty, fellowship
and prosperity, and play her part
in advancing the welfare
of the whole human race.

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JAMAICA COAT OF ARMS

The original Coat of Arms granted to Jamaica in 1661, was designed by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, William Sanderoft. Apart from a partial revision in 1957, it remains virtually the same as was originally designed.

The Arms shows a male and female Arawak, standing on either side of the shield which bears a red cross with five golden pineapples superimposed on it.

The Crest is a Jamaican crocodile surmounting the Royal Helmet and Mantlings. The original Latin motto, "Indus Uterque Serviet Uni", has been changed to one in English: "Out of Many, One People".

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JAMAICA NATIONAL HEROES

Jamaica’s National Heroes dared to challenge the institution of colonialism and in so doing changed the course of Jamaica’s history giving social and political freedom to its people.

Today, the statues of Jamaica’s seven National Heroes stand in proud acknowledgment, in the National Heroes Park in Kingston where they are viewed with inspiring pride, unforgettable symbols of Jamaica’s enduring strength.

PAUL BOGLE
birth date uncertain-died 1865.
Paul Bogle, a Baptist Deacon was generally regarded as a peaceful man who shunned violence. He believed in the teachings of the Bible, endorsing the principles of charity and endurance. Yet he was also a leader and organizer who knew well the terrains of the land and had spent time in educating and training his followers. He lived in St. Thomas and led the Morant Bay Rebellion in 1865.

GEORGE WILLIAM GORDON
1820-1865.
George William Gordon was a free colored land owner and an associate of Bogle. As a member of the House of Parliament, he used his position to highlight the sufferings of the people and to make a plea for changes. The Morant Bay Rebellion and the resultant deaths of Bogle and Gordon precipitated the beginning of a new era in Jamaica’s development. The British government became compelled to make changes including outstanding reforms in education, health, local government, banking and infrastructure.

NANNY
lived and died in Nanny Town.
Nanny of the Maroons stands out in history as the only female among Jamaica’s national heroes. She possessed that fierce fighting spirit generally associated with the courage of men. In fact, Nanny is described as a fearless Asante warrior who used militarist techniques to foul and beguile the English. Like the heroes of the pre Independence era, Nanny too met her untimely death at the instigation of the English sometime around 1734. Yet, the spirit of Nanny of the Maroons remains today as a symbol of that domitable desire that will never yield to captivity.

SAMUEL SHARPE
1801-1932
‘Daddy’ Sam Sharpe, as he was affectionately called was to carry on the Resistance against slavery effecting at the young age of 31, the most outstanding Slave Rebellion in Jamaica’s history. Sharpe, an educated town slave, was a preacher and spokesman. Intelligent and sharp, he followed the developments of the abolition movement by reading discarded local and foreign papers and was able to advise his followers. Sharpe was tired of slavery, spent months in strategic planning, educating the slaves and traveling from estate to estate in secret meetings at nights, igniting the slaves with inspiring messages of hope of freedom. The 1831 Christmas Rebellion started in St. James and spread throughout the entire island. The Rebellion started on December 28 and lasted 8 days. Sam Sharpe was eventually captured and hung at the Parade in Montego Bay (now renamed Sam Sharpe Square). On August 28, 1833 slavery was abolished and the System of Apprenticeship instituted, allowing for the total freedom of slaves in the next 4-6 years. On August 1, 1938 the Apprenticeship System ended granting full freedom to the slaves.

SIR ALEXANDER BUSTAMANTE
1884-1977
Alexander Bustamante was an aggressive, outspoken young man who understood the dynamics of labor relations. A charismatic and impressive speaker, he used the media to criticize the prevailing political system and its attendant social problems. He started the Industrial Trade Union in 1938 and was jailed for 17 moths following labor riots. He became Jamaica’s first Chief Minister, a position he held until 1954, being knighted that same year by the queen. On August 6, 1962 Jamaica was granted full independence. At the first session of Parliament, Bustamante received the Instruments of Independence from the queen’s representative, Princess Margaret. This time in Jamaica’s history drastic changes were heralded, not by bloodshed but by peaceful negotiations.

NORMAN WASHINGTON MANLEY
1893-1969.
Norman Washington Manley founded the People’s National Party which later was tied to the Trade Union Congress and the N.W. U. Together with Bustamante, their efforts resulted in the New Constitution of 1944 granting full Adult Suffrage. In 1955 Manley was elected Chief Minister. The 400 year British Rule, invoking slavery, deculturisation, uprising and bloodshed was not at an end.

MARCUS MOSIAH GARVEY
1887-1940.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey stands out in history as one who was greatly committed to the concept of the Emancipation of minds. Garvey who was born in St. Ann became famous worldwide as a leader who was courageous and eloquent in his call for improvement for Blacks. He sought the unification of all Blacks through the establishment of the United Negro Improvement Association and spoke out against economic exploitation and cultural denigration. He spent many years in the United States pursuing his goal of Black Unification.

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JAMAICA POLITICAL PARTIES

People's National Party (PNP): Founded in 1938; Led by Rt. Hon. P.J. Patterson.

People's National Party (PNP)
89 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6
Tel: 927-7805/0159; Fax 927-4389
Leader: Rt. Hon. P. J. Patterson.

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP): Founded in 1943 as the political wing of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union; Led by Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga.

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)
20 Belmont Road, Kingston 5
Tel: 929-0987/0995/1276; Fax: 929-1276
Leader: Rt. Hon. Edward Seaga.

New Leader

Picture Not Available

National Democratic Movement(NDM) : Founded in October 1995;

National Democratic Movement (NDM)
15A Old Hope Road, Kingston 5
Tel: 920-7848/9; Fax: 920-7846
Leader:

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JAMAICA HOLIDAYS

Jan 1	New Year's Day
Mar 28	Good Friday
Aug 1	Emancipation Day
Aug 5	Independence Day
Oct 20	National Heroes Day
Dec 25	Christmas Day
Dec 26	Boxing Day