Jamaica
A Caribbean paradise with the three counties
Jamaica is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles that is situated in the West Indies, 90 miles south of Cuba and 100 miles west of Haiti. Jamaica is an independent Nation and a member of the British Commonwealth. The island consists of coastal lowlands, a limestone plateau, and the Blue Mountains (a group of volcanic hills in the east). The Island is around 150 miles in length and in places up to 50 miles in width. It is 391 miles east of the Central American mainland, 93 miles south of Cuba, and 112 miles west of the Island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are to be found. The Languages used are English and Jamaican Creole. Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and has a population of over 2.5 million people.
The Arawak Indians were the original inhabitants of Jamaica. Two hundred years of Spanish Rule (that started with the arrival of Christopher Columbus on May 4th, 1494) saw the demise of the peaceable Arawaks. The Island was inhabited by the Spanish from 1509-1655, who took great numbers of African slaves to the Island. After being invaded by the British in 1655, Jamaica remained a British West Indies Crown colony until 1962.
Throughout the 18th century, the slave trade was significantly expanded to serve the requirements of the vast plantations. After the abolition of slavery in the 1830’s, indentured workers were brought in from India to replace the newly freed slaves who relocated to other settlements in Jamaica. In the 1930’s Sir Alexander Bustamante founded the Jamaica Labour Party who later led the Country to independence. Jamaica acquired its independence from The United Kingdom in 1962. The Island’s population comprises primarily of the descendants of former African slaves.
In recent years, tourism has developed to become the largest industry in Jamaica. Around a quarter of Jamaicans rely on agriculture as a living. Main crops incorporate sugarcane, fruits, coffee, bananas, pimentos and cattle (a great deal of which is exported). Jamaica is amongst the top producers of bauxite and alumina in the world. A number of International aluminium companies excavate deposits of bauxite on the central plateaus. Some of whom process the bauxite into aluminium.
Jamaica comprises of three Counties:
Surrey County (east) contains the parishes of Kingston, Portland, Saint Andrew and Saint Thomas.
Middlesex County (centre) contains the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine and Saint Mary.
Cornwall County (west) contains the parishes of Hanover, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Trelawny and Westmoreland.
The Island of Jamaica has a tropical climate and the warm temperatures offer gorgeous weather during your visit. Temperatures in Jamaica normally vary around 10 degrees from summer to winter. Average temperatures on the Island range between 80˚ and 90˚ Fahrenheit, July and August are the hottest months and February the coolest. However, winter in Jamaica is slightly cooler, particularly at the higher altitudes. In the mountains, temperatures can drop to 40˚ Fahrenheit (4˚C).
Precipitation in Jamaica occurs in May and June and again in October and November which occasionally extends into December. The average annual rainfall is around 50 inches; but can vary considerably across the Island. The eastern coast receives noticeably more rain than everywhere else on the Island, while the south-western coast of Jamaica receives little rain. On the whole, when it does rain, showers are usually short, heavy then followed by sunshine.
The official hurricane season begins from June 1 to November 30, with August and September being the peak months. Although Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt, direct hits by major storms are infrequent.
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