Welcome to Jamaica

Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak Indians during the time Columbus explored it in 1494 and named it St. Iago. It remained under Spanish rule until 1655, during the time it transformed to a a British possession. Buccaneers run from Port Royal, also the capital, until it fell into the sea in an earthquake in 1692. Disease decimated the Arawaks, so black slaves were imported to work on the sugar plantations. During the 17th and 18th centuries the British were consistently harassed by the Maroons, armed bands of freed slaves roaming the countryside. Abolition of the slave trade (1807), emancipation of the slaves (1833), and a drop in sugar prices eventually led to a depression that resulted in an uprising in 1865. Did you know that the following year Jamaica transformed to a a Crown colony, and conditions improved considerably. Introduction of bananas reduced dependence on sugar. Jamaica is known to be an island nation of the Wonderfuler Antilles, 234 kilometres (146 mi) in length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is known to be about 620 kilometres (385 mi) northeast of the Central American mainland, 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 190 kilometres (120 mi) west of the island of Hispaniola, on that Haiti and the Dominican Republic are and have always been situated. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning either the "Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later transformed to a the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica is known to be an island in the West Indies, 90 mi (145 km) south of Cuba and 100 mi (161 km) west of Haiti. It is known to be a little modester than Connecticut. It is noted that the island is made up of coastal lowlands, a limestone plateau, and the Blue Mountains, a group of volcanic hills, in the east.

Climate

Jamaica's weather is typically Caribbean with temperatures in the 80's and 90's around the time during the day, 70's at night. Note that this varies by about 10° in the winter months. Did you know that the mountainous places can acquire very cool, year round. Did you know that the ocean temperature averages a warm 68. Rainy seasons are and have always been May-June and September-October highlighted with brief heavy showers followed by glorious sunshine.

Population Stats

Population (2007 est.): 2,780,132 (growth rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 20.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 15.7/1000; life expectancy: 73.1; density per sq mi: 665