Todd Hemming Books

II  LAND AND RESOURCES

The terrain is mountainous, except for several tracts of lowlands in the southern coastal area. The principal range, situated in the eastern section of the island, is the Blue Mountains, of which Blue Mountain Peak (2,256 m/ 7,402 ft) is the highest point on the island. A series of lesser mountains, with many transverse spurs, extends generally west to the extremity of the island, surmounting an extensive plateau. The coastline, 1,020 km (635 mi) long, is irregular, particularly in the south, and the island has a number of excellent natural harbors, including those at Kingston, Saint Ann’s Bay, Montego Bay, and Port Maria.

Thermal springs occur in various areas. No other volcanic phenomena are apparent, but the island is subject to severe earthquakes. Many small unnavigable rivers traverse the island.

A  Climate

Tropical climatic conditions prevail in the coastal lowlands of Jamaica. The mean annual temperature in this region is 27°C (80°F), but northeastern trade winds frequently moderate the extremes of heat and humidity. Mean annual temperatures in the plateau and mountain areas average 22°C (72°F) at elevations of 900 m (about 3,000 ft), and are considerably less at higher levels. Annual precipitation is characterized by wide regional variations. More than 5,100 mm (more than 200 in) of rain are deposited annually in the mountains of the northeast; in the vicinity of Kingston the annual average is 810 mm (32 in). The months of maximum precipitation are May, June, October, and November. The island is subject to hurricanes in late summer and early autumn.

B  Natural Resources

Mineral deposits in Jamaica include gypsum, lead, and salt. The bauxite deposits, in the central section of the island, are among the richest in the world. Rich soils are found on the coastal plains.

C  Plants and Animals

Jamaica has a high degree of biodiversity. Three thousand species of plants grow on the island, and 27 percent of them are found nowhere else on Earth. More than 200 species of flowering plants have been classified. Among indigenous trees are cedar, mahoe, mahogany, logwood, rosewood, ebony, palmetto palm, coconut palm, and pimento (allspice). Introduced varieties, such as the mango, breadfruit, banana, and plantain, also flourish on the island and are widely cultivated.

The Jamaican animal life, as that of the West Indies generally, includes highly diversified bird life. Parrots, hummingbirds, cuckoos, and green todies are especially abundant. No large indigenous quadrupeds or venomous reptiles exist.

D  Environmental Issues

Jamaica theoretically has a protected area system composed of forest reserves, nature protection areas, and parks. However, until recently the system was not centrally managed and suffered from inadequate budget, staff, management, and enforcement. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the country worked with nongovernmental and foreign aid organizations to consolidate potential protected areas into functional national parks with efficient administration.

The absence of a clear environmental policy combined with a steadily growing population has brought about an inevitable ecological deterioration of the island. Soil degradation and water shortages are common. Coastal waters are polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills. Automobile traffic in Kingston causes significant air pollution. Safe drinking water is generally available, although access to sanitation is still low.

Jamaica’s biodiversity has suffered with environmental deterioration. Natural habitats are threatened by rapid deforestation. Government policy encourages conversion of “idle” land into fields and pasture. Once completely forested, about 30 percent of Jamaica’s surface was forested in 2000.The deforestation rate at 1.5 percent per year during 1990–2000 was high, pushing the few remaining stands of trees into small mountain enclaves. Despite a thriving tourist industry and potential for ecotourism, visits to scenic protected sites such as forest recreation areas were rare through the early 1990s.

Jamaica is party to several regional agreements on conservation of marine resources and combating oil pollution in the Caribbean Sea. It ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1983.

III  POPULATION

 The population of Jamaica
is primarily of African
or mixed African-European origin,
descended from slaves. 

The population of Jamaica is primarily of African or mixed African-European origin, descended from slaves brought to the island between the 17th and 19th centuries. Among the established minorities are East Indians, Europeans, and Chinese. About half the population lives in rural areas.

A  Population Characteristics

The population of Jamaica (2003 estimate) was 2,695,867, giving the country an overall population density of 245 persons per sq km (635 per sq mi). The annual rate of population increase, formerly high, declined to 0.61 percent by 2003. Emigration, primarily to the United States, Britain, and Latin America, has been substantial.

B  Political Divisions and Principal Cities

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston, the capital and largest city of Jamaica, is located on the southeastern coast of the island country. With an excellent harbor on the Caribbean Sea, background, Kingston is the most important port in the country.Panos Pictures/Marc French 
 
Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes. Of these, 12 parishes are administered by popularly elected councils, and the remaining parishes are administered by elected commissions.

Doctor's Cave Beach, Montego Bay, Jamaica Located near Kingston, Jamaica, the city of Montego Bay is a center for tourism. This beach, called Doctor’s Cave, is one of several along the Gold Coast popular with visitors. Montego Bay is also a port and transportation center.Hi Pix 
 
The population of greater Kingston in 1991 was 587,798. Other important communities are Montego Bay (83,446) and Spanish Town (92,383).

C  Language and Religion

English is the official language, although many Jamaicans speak a local dialect of English that incorporates African, Spanish, and French elements. Among the Christian majority, the Church of God, Baptists, Anglicans, Seventh-day Adventists, Pentecostalists, and Roman Catholics predominate. Several well-established Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu communities exist. A number of popular sects, such as Pocomania and Rastafarianism, are a significant and famous feature of the national religious life.

D  Education

School attendance by children between the ages of 6 and 11 is nearly universal, and 83.6 percent of all 12- to 18-year-olds attend secondary institutions. In 2000 the enrollment in primary schools was 328,500.

A major institution of higher learning for the entire Caribbean region is the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus (1948), located at Kingston; it has more than 5,000 students and a library with more than 450,000 volumes. Jamaica also has a number of vocational and technical schools, teacher-training colleges, and a college of arts, science, and technology.

E  Culture

Traditional Mento of Jamaica Much of the hypnotic, deeply rhythmic backbeat that drives popular reggae music from Jamaica is derived from a traditional African-Jamaican hybrid music form called mento. This all-acoustic music was popular in the early 20th century and was rarely recorded, remaining isolated in the obscurity of Jamaica’s local folk culture. Featuring acoustic guitar, banjo, rumba-box (a crate-size thumb piano), and bongo drums, mento music is punctuated by biting double-entendre lyrics sung in ballad form. The music’s topical rhyme and rhythm schemes are a direct influence from Trinidadian calypso music."Take Me Back to Jamaica" from Jolly Boys: Sunshine 'n Water (Cat.# RCD 10187) (p)1991 First Warning-Rykodisc. All Rights Reserved.
 
 

Bob Marley Plays Reggae of Jamaica In the late 1960s Jamaican reggae emerged as a powerful musical phenomenon, largely owing to the pioneering leadership of musician and composer, Bob Marley. Musically, reggae is the successor to Jamaican ska (mostly instrumental music emphasizing offbeats) and rock steady (mostly vocal music with a sparse rhythmic accompaniment). All of these types of music share their roots in mento, the traditional folk music of Jamaica, and are imbued with elements of American rhythm and blues. Marley is heard here early in his career performing in the rock steady style with his vocal group, then known as the Wailing Wailers.The Everett Collection, Inc./"Rocking Steady" performed by Bob Marley and The Wailers, from The Wailing Wailers at Studio One (Cat.# Heartbeat Records 172) (p)1994 Poli-Rhythm, Ltd. All rights reserved.
 
 
The position of Jamaica as a dependency of Britain for more than 300 years is reflected in both language and customs, which are combined with African influences. Reggae, a distinctively syncopated style of Jamaican music, much of it highly political, was popularized in the 20th century by Bob Marley and others. It was a pervasive influence on rock music in the 1980s, especially in Britain.

IV  ECONOMY

The economy of Jamaica is primarily agricultural, but gains in mining, manufacturing, and tourism have diversified the economy. Annual budget figures for 2000 showed about $2.67 billion in revenues and $2.88 billion in expenditures. In 2001 Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $7.78 billion, or about $3,010 per capita. In 2001, 6.3 billion kwh of electricity was produced.

A  Agriculture

Some 21 percent of the total Jamaican labor force is engaged in agricultural production. The chief crop is sugarcane; the harvest in 2002 was 2.4 million metric tons. Other leading agricultural products are bananas, citrus fruits, tobacco, cacao, coffee, coconuts, corn, hay, peppers, ginger, mangoes, potatoes, and arrowroot. Jamaica grows nearly the entire world supply of allspice. In 2002 the livestock population included 400,000 cattle, 440,000 goats, and 180,000 pigs.

B  Mining and Manufacturing

The bauxite and alumina (enriched bauxite ore) industries are a mainstay of the Jamaican economy. In 2001 annual production of bauxite amounted to 12.4 million metric tons.