Jamaica

Introduction

  Located in Central America, Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. Its territory has no land borders, being relatively near Cuba, Haiti and the Cayman Islands. The country's name comes from the expression Xamaica, meaning "land of water" - this name was given by the native inhabitants of the region, the indigenous Arawaks.

  Jamaica is a former British colony, whose independence was achieved in 1962. Currently, the country is part of the Commonwealth (organization formed by the UK and its former colonies). 

The national population is made ​​up of about 2.7 million inhabitants, 90% are descendants of African slaves. Thus, the nation has many elements of African culture, especially capoeira and reggae. However, the official language, English, is a legacy of the colonial process exercised by the British.

  As a result of the large number of slaves brought to the Jamaican territory in the colonial period, currently, about 90% of the population is descended from African slaves. This aspect has a direct influence on local culture, with cultural events such as capoeira (dance and fight), reggae (musical style) and Rastafarian (religious doctrine that preaches overcoming oppression against blacks and considers Ethiopia, Africa, its holy nation).

  With much of the population residing in rural areas (48%), agriculture plays an important role in attracting labor. Among the crops are that of cane sugar, cocoa, banana, cotton, cassava, coffee and tobacco. The country also exports bauxite and tourism is a major source of income. The pleasant climate and beautiful beaches attract millions of visitors.

One negative aspect is the increase in drug trafficking, a fact that has intensified violence in Jamaica - the country has one of the highest rates of murder (with intent to murder) of the world. Thus, the life expectancy of the population is reduced, negatively influencing the Human Development Index (HDI) Jamaican.

  Jamaica does not have a developed economy. Agriculture is one of the main economic activities of the country, focusing on the cultivation of various products, such as cane sugar, cocoa, coffee, corn, cassava, banana, tobacco, and various fruits. The industrial sector is represented by the Jamaican food industry, textiles, cement and agricultural machinery. Another highlight is the mining, whose main product is bauxite, a fact that characterizes the country as being the fourth largest producer in the world, reflecting the activity directly linked to the export.

  Tourism also operates in a relevant way, since the country attracts millions of visitors because of its beautiful beaches. This provided great tourism potential investment in infrastructure (hotels, transport system, communication) to the satisfaction of the visitors.

General data of Jamaica:

Land area:

•    10,990 km ²

Location:

• Central America

Capital:

• Kingston

Climate:

• Tropical

The Government:

• Parliamentary Monarchy

The administrative division:

• 13 parishes

Language:

• English (official)

Religion:

• Christianity - 84% (no affiliation - 39.1%, protestant - 28.5%, other - 16.4%);
• Spiritualism - 10.1%;
• No religion and atheism - 4.1% Other - 1.8%);

Population:

• 2,718,763 inhabitants (Male: 1,330,603; Women: 1388160);

Ethnic composition:

• African-Americans - 75%;
• Eurafricans - 13%;
• Indian - 1%;
• Other - 11%;

Population density:

• 247 inh. / Km ²;

Average annual rate of population growth:

• 0.4%;

Population living in urban areas:

• 53.48%;

Population living in rural areas:

• 46.52%;

Illiteracy:

• 14%;

Undernourished population:

• 5%;

Life expectancy at birth:

• 72.3 years;

Households with access to safe water:

• 93%;

Households with access to sanitary network:

• 83%;

Human Development Index (HDI):

• 0.688 (high)

Currency:

• Jamaican Dollar;

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):

• 15.1 billion dollars;

GDP per capita:

• $ 4,147;

Foreign Affairs:

• World Bank;
• CARICOM;
• Commonwealth;
• IMF;
• OAS;
• WTO;
• UN.