Island - Geography - People - Culture - Education - Politics - More Info.

Fanlistings?

First off, a fanlisting is a web clique that lists fans of a particular subject. However, fanlistings do not require persons to have websites to join. Instead they submit their email address, name, and country, and where possible, their website as well. You can check out more about fanlistings at thefanlistings.org.

The Island

 Jamaica is an island nation that is found in the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean and surrounded by the Caribbean sea. It's captial is the city of Kingston and is found in the parish Kingston. Jamaica is divided into 3 counties and 14 parishes:

  • Surrey (East): Kingston, Portland, St. Andrew & St. Thomas
  • Middlesex (Centre): Clarendon, Manchester, St. Ann, St. Catherine & St. Mary
  • Cornwall(West): Hanover, St. Elizabeth, St. James, Trelawny, & Westmorland

    Jamaica is 240 kilometers (150 mi) in length and as much as 85 kilometers (50 mi) in width. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly it was a Spanish possession known as Santiago, then the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. Now, Jamaica is an independent nation and is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada.

  • National Bird - Doctor Bird (Green-and-black Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus)
  • National Flower - Blue Mahoe
  • National Tree - Lignum Vitae
  • National Dish - Ackee and Saltfish (dried salted Cod)
  • National Motto - "Out of Many, One People." (Unity among many cultures and races.)

    The Geography

     Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. The island of Jamaica is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and both cities are located on the coast. Chief towns include the capital city Kingston, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and the city of Montego Bay. The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are relatively dry rain-shadow areas.

    Check out pictures of this beautiful island at deviantART: [x][x] [x] and my deviantART gallery

    The People

     Jamaica has an approximate population of 2,651,000 persons and consists approximately of 90.9% African-Black persons, 7.3% Mixed, 1.3% East Indian, 0.2% White, 0.2% Chinese and 0.1% Other.The Jamaican people are a widely diverse people and hence, the National motto is, "Out of Many, One People".

    The language of government and education in Jamaica is English, but patois or Jamaican Creole is widely spoken. Many Jamaicans use both depending on circumstances and normally combine the two.

    The Culture

     Though a small nation, Jamaica is rich in culture and has a strong global presence. The country has many musical genres such as reggae, mento, ska, rocksteady, dub, dancehall and ragga. The island has a very vibrant popular urban recording industry.

    Jamaica has produced noticeable artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Shaggy, Buju Banton and more. Also, many upcoming new artists such as Tami Chynn, Tanya Stephens, and Tessanne Chin are on their way to the top.

    The Education

     Jamaica has a very sturdy education system. Students attend Early childhoon institues from ages 1-5. From there, they enter into Primary Education (Primary or Preparatory schools) normally for seven years from age 5-12. At the end of the seven years, in Grade Six, students sit the Grade Six Achivement Test (GSAT) which allows high schools to choose students into their institutions.

    In secondary schools, students spend 5-7 years, from ages 12-19. At the end of five years students sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations which allow them to enter into tertiary instutions. They can however choose to continue their studies at high school in a Pre-University programme called "Sixth Form", which lasts two years. At the end of this two-year period, students sit the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) where they can enter into University with more qualifications.

    The Politics

     Jamaica's head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by the Governor-General who is nominated by the Prime Minister and the entire cabinet. The current Prime Minister is Portia Simpson-Miller (the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica), and was elected in February 2006. Currently, Jamaica has two large political parties, the People's Nation Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Currently, the former is the ruling party.

    More Info.

     For more information, you can visit Jamaicans.com and the Wikipedia article on Jamaica

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