|
 Jamaica
lies some 90 miles south of Cuba and a little over 100
miles west of Haiti. With an area of 4,244 square miles,
it is the third largest island in the Greater Antilles. It
is 146 miles from east to west and 51 miles from north to
south at its widest, bounded by the Caribbean. Like other
West Indian islands, it is an outcrop of a submerged
mountain range. It is crossed by a spectacular range of
mountains reaching 7,402 feet at the Blue Mountain Peak in
the east and descending towards the west, with a series of
spurs and forested gullies running north and south.
Jamaica
has an impressive variety of attractions to entice the
visitor: tropical beaches (the best beaches are on the
north and west coasts, though there are some good bathing
places on the south coast too) and magnificent scenery
with a fascinating blend of cultures from colonial Britain
and African slavery with its rhythm and Rastafarianism.
Over
90 % of Jamaicans are of West African descent, the English
settlers having followed the Spaniards in bringing in
slaves from West Africa. Because of this, Ashanti words
still figure very largely in the local dialect, which is
known as Jamaica Talk. There are also Chinese, East
Indians and Christian Arabs as well as those of British
descent and other European minorities. The population is
approximately 2.5 million. There is considerable poverty
on the island, which has created social problems and some
tension. Jamaicans are naturally friendly, easy going and
international in their outlook (more people of Jamaican
origin live outside Jamaica than inside; compare the
Irish). There is a ‘Meet the People’ program which
enables visitors to meet Jamaicans on a one-to-one basis.
Click here to go to Jamaica Web site |
