JAMAICA
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JAMAICA Cover KGVI 4 Stamps 4 Pence 4d CITRUS GROVE Sent to Lebanon Indiana USA
DENOMINATION: 4 Pence
Era: KGVI
CARIBBEAN, WEST INDIES
Jamaica (/dʒəˈmeɪkə/ (listen); Jamaican Patois: Jumieka, [dʒʌˈmʲeːka]) is an island country situatedin the Caribbean Sea. Spanning 10,990 square kilometres(4,240 sq mi) in area, it is the third largest island — after Cuba and Hispaniola — of the Greater Antilles andthe Caribbean.[11] Jamaicalies about 145 km (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 km(119 mi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic); the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands liessome 215 km (134 mi) to the north-west.[11]
Originally inhabited by theindigenous Taíno peoples, theisland came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many of the indigenous people either werekilled or died of diseases, after which the Spanish brought large numbers ofAfrican slaves to Jamaica as labourers.[11] Theisland remained a possession of Spain until 1655, when England (later Great Britain) conquered it, renaming it Jamaica. Itbecame an important part of the colonial British West Indies. Under Britain's colonial rule, Jamaica became a leadingsugar exporter, with a plantation economy dependent on continued importation ofAfrican slaves and their descendants. The British fully emancipated all slavesin 1838, and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations. Beginning inthe 1840s, the British began using Chinese and Indian indentured labour to work on plantations. The island achievedindependence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962.[11]
With 2.8 million people,[12][13] Jamaicais the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas (after the United States and Canada), and the fourth-most populous country in theCaribbean. Kingston is the country's capital and largest city. The majorityof Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities.[11] Due toa high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, there is a large Jamaican diaspora,particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The countryhas a global influence that belies its small size; it was the birthplace ofthe Rastafari religion, reggae music (and associated genres such as dub, ska and dancehall), and it is internationally prominent in sports, mostnotably cricket, sprinting and athletics.[14][15][16][17] Jamaicahas sometimes been considered the world's least populous cultural superpower.[18][19][20][21]
Jamaica is an upper-middle income country[17] withan economy heavily dependent on tourism; it has an average of 4.3 milliontourists a year.[22] Thecountry performs favourably in measures of press freedom, democratic governance and sustainable well-being. Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica, consisting of an appointed Senate and a directlyelected House of Representatives.[11] Andrew Holness hasserved as Prime Minister of Jamaica since March 2016. As a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as its king, the appointed representative of the Crown is the Governor-General of Jamaica, an office held by Patrick Allen since 2009.
The indigenous people, the Taíno,called the island Xaymaca in their language,[a] meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" orthe "Land of Springs".[23] Yamaye hasbeen suggested as an early Taino name for the island as recorded by Christopher Columbus.[24]
Colloquially, Jamaicans refer to their homeisland as the "Rock". Slang names such as "Jamrock","Jamdown" ("Jamdung" in Jamaican Patois), orbriefly "Ja", have derived from this.[25][26]
Main article: History of Jamaica
Main article: Pre-Columbian Jamaica
Humans have inhabited Jamaica from as earlyas 4000–1000 BC. Little is known of these early peoples.[27] Anothergroup, known as the "Redware people" after their pottery, arrivedcirca 600 AD,[28] followedby the Taíno circa 800 AD, who most likely came from South America.[28][29] They practised an agrarian and fishing economy, andat their height are thought to have numbered some 60,000 people, grouped intoaround 200 villages headed by caciques (chiefs).[28] Thesouth coast of Jamaica was the most populated, especially around the area nowknown as Old Harbour.[27]
Though often thought to have become extinctfollowing contact with Europeans, the Taíno in fact still inhabited Jamaicawhen the English took control of the island in 1655.[27] Somefled into interior regions, merging with African Maroon communities.[30][31][32] The JamaicanNational Heritage Trust isattempting to locate and document any remaining evidence of the Taíno.[33]
Main article: Colony of Santiago
Christopher Columbus was the first Europeanto see Jamaica, claiming the island for Spain after landing there in 1494 onhis second voyage to the Americas.[28] Hisprobable landing point was Dry Harbour, called Discovery Bay,[34] and St. Ann's Bay wasnamed "Saint Gloria" by Columbus, as the first sighting of the land.He later returned in 1503; however, he was shipwrecked and he and his crew wereforced to live on Jamaica for a year while waiting to be rescued.[35]
One and a half kilometres west of St. Ann'sBay is the site of the first Spanish settlement on the island, Sevilla, which was established in 1509 by Juan de Esquivel butabandoned around 1524 because it was deemed unhealthy.[36] Thecapital was moved to Spanish Town, then called St. Jago de la Vega, around1534 (at present-day St. Catherine).[28][37] Meanwhile,the Taínos began dying in large numbers, both from introduced diseases and fromenslavement by the Spanish.[28] As aresult, the Spanish began importing slaves from Africa to the island.[38]
Many slaves managed to escape, formingautonomous communities in remote and easily defended areas in the interior ofJamaica, mixing with the remaining Taino; these communities became knownas Maroons.[28] Many Jews fled the Spanish Inquisition to live on the island.[39] They lived as conversos and were often persecuted by the Spanish rulers,and some turned to piracy against the Spanish Empire'sshipping.[40]
By the early 17th century it is estimatedthat no more than 2,500–3,000 people lived on Jamaica.[28][41][page needed]
Main article: Colony of Jamaica
Henry Morgan was a famous Caribbean pirate, privateer, plantation owner andslaveholder; he had first come to the West Indies as an indentured servant,like most of the early English colonists.[42]
The English began taking an interest in theisland and, following a failed attempt to conquer Santo Domingo on Hispaniola, Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables ledan invasion of Jamaica in 1655.[43] Battles at Ocho Rios in 1657 and the Rio Nuevo in 1658 resulted in Spanish defeats; in 1660 the Marooncommunity under the leadership of Juan de Bolas switchedsides from the Spanish, and began supporting the English. With their help, theSpanish defeat was secured.[44] In1661 English civil government was formed and Roundhead soldiers turned theirattention to governance and agricultural responsiblities.[45]
When the English captured Jamaica, mostSpanish colonists fled, with the exception of Spanish Jews, who chose to remainon the island. Spanish slave holders freed their slaves before leaving Jamaica.[44] Manyslaves dispersed into the mountains, joining the already established maroon communities.[46] Duringthe centuries of slavery, Jamaican Maroons establishedfree communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, where they maintainedtheir freedom and independence for generations, under the leadership of Maroonleaders such as Juan de Serras.[47]
Meanwhile, the Spanish made severalattempts to re-capture the island, prompting the British to support piratesattacking Spanish ships in the Caribbean; as a result piracy became rampant onJamaica, with the city of Port Royal becoming notorious for its lawlessness. Spain laterrecognised English possession of the island with the Treaty of Madrid (1670).[48] After that, the English authorities sought to reinin the worst excesses of the pirates.[28]
In 1660, the population of Jamaica wasabout 4,500 white and 1,500 black.[49] By theearly 1670s, as the English developed sugar cane plantations worked by largenumbers of slaves, black Africans formed a majority of the population.[50] The Irish in Jamaica also formed a large part of the island's earlypopulation, making up two-thirds of the white population on the island in thelate 17th century, twice that of the English population. They were brought inas indentured labourers and soldiers after the conquest of 1655. The majorityof Irish were transported by force as political prisoners of war from Irelandas a result of the ongoing Wars of the Three Kingdoms.[51] Migration of large numbers of Irish to the islandcontinued into the 18th century.[52]
A limited form of local government wasintroduced with the creation of the House of Assembly of Jamaica in 1664; however, it represented only a tiny numberof rich plantation owners.[53] In1692, the colony was rocked by an earthquake that resulted in several thousand deaths and thealmost complete destruction of Port Royal.[54]
During the 1700s the economy boomed, basedlargely on sugar and other crops for export such as coffee, cotton and indigo. All these crops were worked by black slaves, who livedshort and often brutal lives with no rights, being the property of a smallplanter-class.[28] In the18th century, slaves ran away and joined the Maroons in increasing numbers, andresulted in The First Maroon War (1728– 1739/40), which ended in stalemate. The British government sued for peace,and signed treaties with the Leeward Maroons led by Cudjoe and Accompong in 1739, and the WindwardMaroons led by Quao and Queen Nanny in1740.[55]
A large slave rebellion, known as Tacky's War, broke out in 1760 but wasdefeated by the British and their Maroon allies.[56] Afterthe second conflict in1795–96, many Maroons from the Maroon town of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town) were expelled to Nova Scotia and,later, Sierra Leone.[28]
By the beginning of the 19th century,Jamaica's dependence on slave labour and a plantation economy had resulted inblack people outnumbering white people by a ratio of almost 20 to 1. Although the Britishhad outlawed the importation of slaves, some were still smuggled in fromSpanish colonies and directly from Africa.[citation needed] Whileplanning the abolition of slavery, the British Parliament passed laws toimprove conditions for slaves. They banned the use of whips in the field andflogging of women; informed planters that slaves were to be allowed religiousinstruction, and required a free day during each week when slaves could selltheir produce,[57] prohibitingSunday markets to enable slaves to attend church.[citation needed] TheHouse of Assembly in Jamaica resented and resisted the new laws. Members, withmembership then restricted to European-descended Jamaicans, claimed that theslaves were content and objected to Parliament's interference in islandaffairs. Slave owners feared possible revolts if conditions were lightened.
The British abolished the slave trade in 1807, but not the institution itself.[58] In 1831 a huge slave rebellion, known as the Baptist War, broke out,led by the Baptist preacher Samuel Sharpe. Therebellion resulted in hundreds of deaths and the destruction of manyplantations, and led to ferocious reprisals by the plantocracy class.[59] As aresult of rebellions such as these, as well as the efforts of abolitionists,Britain outlawed slavery in its empire in 1834, with full emancipation from chattel slavery declared in 1838.[28] Thepopulation in 1834 was 371,070, of whom 15,000 were white, 5,000 free black;40,000 "coloured" or free people of colour (mixed race); and 311,070 were slaves.[49] Theresulting labour shortage prompted the British to begin to"import" indentured servants to supplement the labour pool, as many freedmenresisted working on the plantations.[28] Workersrecruited from India began arriving in 1845, Chinese workers in 1854.[60] Many South Asian and Chinese descendants continueto reside in Jamaica today.[61][62]
Over the next 20 years, several epidemicsof cholera, scarlet fever, and smallpox hit the island, killing almost 60,000 people (about10 per day).[citation needed] Nevertheless,in 1871 the census recorded a population of 506,154 people, 246,573 of whichwere males, and 259,581 females. Their races were recorded as 13,101 white,100,346 coloured (mixed black and white), and 392,707 black.[63] This period was marked by an economic slump, withmany Jamaicans living in poverty. Dissatisfaction with this, and continuedracial discrimination and marginalisation of the black majority, led to theoutbreak of the Morant Bay rebellion in 1865 led by Paul Bogle, which wasput down by Governor John Eyre withsuch brutality that he was recalled from his position.[28] Hissuccessor, John Peter Grant, enacted a series of social, financial and politicalreforms whilst aiming to uphold firm British rule over the island, which becamea Crown Colony in 1866.[28] In1872 the capital was transferred from Spanish Town to Kingston.[28]
In 1907 Jamaica was struck by an earthquake—this, and the subsequent fire, caused immensedestruction in Kingston and the deaths of 800–1,000 people.[64][28]
Unemployment and poverty remained a problemfor many Jamaicans. Various movements seeking political change arose as aresult, most notably the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League founded by Marcus Garvey in1917. As well as seeking greater political rights and an improvement for thecondition of workers, Garvey was also a prominent Pan-Africanist andproponent of the Back-to-Africa movement.[65] He wasalso one of the chief inspirations behind Rastafari, a religion founded inJamaica in the 1930s that combined Christianity with an Afrocentric theologyfocused on the figure of Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia. Despite occasional persecution, Rastafari grew tobecome an established faith on the island, later spreading abroad.
The Great Depression of the1930s hit Jamaica hard. As part of the BritishWest Indian labour unrest of 1934–39, Jamaica saw numerous strikes, culminating in a strikein 1938 that turned into a full-blown riot.[66][28][67] As a result, the British governmentinstituted acommission to look into thecauses of the disturbances; their report recommended political and economicreforms in Britain's Caribbean colonies.[28][68] A new House of Representatives was established in1944, elected by universal adult suffrage.[28] Duringthis period Jamaica's two-party system emerged, with the creation of the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) under Alexander Bustamante and the People's National Party (PNP) under Norman Manley.[28]
Jamaica slowly gained increasing autonomyfrom the United Kingdom. In 1958 it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies, a federation of several of Britain's Caribbean colonies.[28] Membershipof the Federation proved to be divisive, however, and a referendum on theissue saw a slight majority voting to leave.[28] Afterleaving the Federation, Jamaica attained full independence on 6 August 1962.[28] Thenew state retained, however, its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations (with the British monarch as head of state) andadopted a Westminster-style parliamentary system. Bustamante, at the age of 78, became the country'sfirst prime minister.[69][70]
Main article: Independence of Jamaica
Strong economic growth, averagingapproximately 6% per annum, marked the first ten years of independence underconservative JLP governments; these were led by successive Prime MinistersAlexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster (whodied of natural causes within two months of taking office) and Hugh Shearer.[28] Thegrowth was fuelled by high levels of private investment in bauxite/alumina, tourism, the manufacturing industry and, to a lesser extent, theagricultural sector. In the 1967 Jamaican general election, the JLP were victorious again, winning 33 out of 53seats, with the PNP taking 20 seats.[71]
In terms of foreign policy Jamaica became amember of the Non-Aligned Movement, seeking to retain strong ties with Britain and theUnited States whilst also developing links with Communist states such as Cuba.[28]
The optimism of the first decade wasaccompanied by a growing sense of inequality among many Afro-Jamaicans, and aconcern that the benefits of growth were not being shared by the urban poor,many of whom ended up living in crime-ridden shanty towns in Kingston.[28] This,combined with the effects of a slowdown in the global economy in 1970,[citation needed] led tothe voters electing the PNP under Michael Manley in1972. The PNP won 37 seats to the JLP's 16.[71]
Manley's government enacted various socialreforms, such as a higher minimum wage, land reform, legislation for women's equality, greaterhousing construction and an increase in educational provision.[72][28] Internationallyhe improved ties with the Communist bloc and vigorously opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa.[28]
In 1976, the PNP won another landslide,winning 47 seats to the JLP's 13. The turnout was a very high 85 percent.[73] However,the economy faltered in this period due to a combination of internal andexternal factors (such as the oil shocks).[28] Therivalry between the JLP and PNP became intense, and political and gang-related violence grew significantly in this period.[28]
By 1980, Jamaica's gross national producthad declined to some 25% below its 1972 level.[citation needed] Seekingchange, Jamaicans voted the JLP back in in 1980 under Edward Seaga, the JLPwinning 51 seats to the PNP's nine seats.[71][28] Firmlyanti-Communist, Seaga cut ties with Cuba and sent troops to support the US invasion of Grenada in 1983.[28] Theeconomic deterioration, however, continued into the mid-1980s, exacerbated by anumber of factors. The largest and third-largest alumina producers, Alpart and Alcoa, closed; and there was a significant reduction inproduction by the second-largest producer, Alcan.[citation needed] ReynoldsJamaica Mines, Ltd. left the Jamaican industry. There was also a decline intourism, which was important to the economy.[citation needed] Owingto rising foreign and local debt, accompanied by large fiscal deficits, thegovernment sought International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing, which was dependent onimplementing various austerity measures.[28] Theseresulted in strikes in 1985 and a decline in support for the Seaga government,exacerbated by criticism of the government's response to the devastation causedby Hurricane Gilbert in1988.[28][74] Having now de-emphasised socialism and adopting amore centrist position, Michael Manley and the PNP were re-elected in 1989, winning 45 seats to the JLP's 15.[75][28]
The PNP went on to win a string ofelections, under Prime Ministers Michael Manley (1989–1992), P. J. Patterson (1992–2005)and Portia Simpson-Miller (2005–2007). In the 1993 Jamaican general election, Patterson led the PNP to victory, winning 52 seats tothe JLP's eight seats. Patterson also won the 1997 Jamaican general election, by another landslide margin of 50 seats to the JLP's 10seats.[73] Patterson'sthird consecutive victory came in the 2002 Jamaican general election, when the PNP retained power, but with a reduced seatmajority of 34 seats to 26. Patterson stepped down on 26 February 2006, and wasreplaced by Portia Simpson-Miller, Jamaica's first female Prime Minister. The turnoutslowly declined during this period of time, from 67.4% in 1993 to 59.1% in2002.[75]
During this period various economic reformswere introduced, such as deregulating the finance sector and floating theJamaican dollar, as well as greater investment in infrastructure, whilst alsoretaining a strong social safety net.[28] Politicalviolence, so prevalent in the previous two decades, declined significantly.[28][76]
In 2007 the PNP was defeated by the JLP by a narrow marginof 32 seats to 28, with a turnout of 61.46%.[77] This election ended 18 years of PNP rule, and Bruce Golding becamethe new prime minister.[78] Golding's tenure (2007–2010) was dominated by theeffects of the global recession, as well asthe fallout from an attempt by Jamaican police and military to arrest druglord Christopher Coke in2010 which erupted in violence, resulting in over 70 deaths.[28][79] As aresult of this incident Golding resigned and was replaced by Andrew Holness in2011.
Independence, however widely celebrated inJamaica, has been questioned in the early 21st century. In 2011, a surveyshowed that approximately 60% of Jamaicans believe that the country would havebeen better off had it remained a British colony, with only 17% believing itwould have been worse off, citing as problems years of social and fiscalmismanagement in the country.[80][81] Holness and the JLP were defeated in the 2011 Jamaican general election, which saw Portia Simpson-Miller and the PNP return topower. The number of seats had been increased to 63, and the PNP swept to powerwith a landslide 42 seats to the JLP's 21. The voter turnout was 53.17%.[82]
Holness's JLP won the 2016 general election narrowly, defeatingSimpson-Miller's PNP, on 25 February. The PNP won 31 seats to the JLP's 32. Asa result, Simpson-Miller became Opposition Leader for a second time. The voterturnout dipped below 50% for the first time, registering just 48.37%.[83]
In the 2020 general election, Andrew Holness made history for the JLP byaccomplishing a second consecutive win for the Jamaica Labour Party, winning 49seats to 14 won by the PNP, led this time by Peter Phillips. The last time a consecutive win occurred for the JLPwas in 1980. However, the turnout at this election was just 37%, probablyaffected by the coronavirus pandemic.[84]
Main article: Politics of Jamaica
Further information: Foreign relations of Jamaica and Republicanism in Jamaica
Jamaica is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.[11][85] Thehead of state is the King of Jamaica (currently King Charles III),[86] represented locally by the Governor-General of Jamaica.[87][11][85] Thegovernor-general is nominated by the Prime Minister of Jamaica and the entireCabinet and then formally appointed by the monarch. All the members of theCabinet are appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the primeminister. The monarch and the governor-general serve largely ceremonial roles,apart from their reserve powers for use in certain constitutional crisissituations. The position of the monarch has been a matter of continuing debate in Jamaica for many years; currently both majorpolitical parties are committed to transitioning to a republic with apresident.[88][89]
Jamaica's current constitution was drafted in 1962 by a bipartisan joint committeeof the Jamaican legislature. It came into force with the Jamaica IndependenceAct, 1962, which was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which gave Jamaica independence.[85]
The Parliament of Jamaica is bicameral, consistingof the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).Members of the House (known as Members of Parliament or MPs) aredirectly elected, and the member of the House of Representatives who, in thegovernor-general's best judgement, is best able to command the confidence of amajority of the members of that House, is appointed by the governor-general tobe the prime minister. Senators are nominated jointly by the prime minister andthe parliamentary Leader of the Opposition and are then appointed by the governor-general.[85]
The Judiciary of Jamaica operates on a common law systemderived from English law and Commonwealth of Nations precedents.[85] Thecourt of final appeal is the Judicial Committee ofthe Privy Council, thoughduring the 2000s Parliament attempted to replace it with the Caribbean Court of Justice.[citation needed]
Jamaica has traditionally had a two-party system, with poweroften alternating between the People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).[85] Theparty with current administrative and legislative power is the Jamaica LabourParty, after its 2020 victory. There are also several minor parties who haveyet to gain a seat in parliament; the largest of these is the National DemocraticMovement (NDM).
Main article: Jamaica Defence Force
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is thesmall but professional military force of Jamaica.[11] TheJDF is based on the British military model with similar organisation, training,weapons and traditions. Once chosen, officer candidates are sent to one ofseveral British or Canadian basic officer courses depending on the arm ofservice. Enlisted soldiers are given basic training at Up Park Camp or JDFTraining Depot, Newcastle, both in St. Andrew. As with the British model, NCOsare given several levels of professional training as they rise up the ranks.Additional military schools are available for speciality training in Canada,the United States and the United Kingdom.[citation needed]
The JDF is directly descended fromthe British Army's West India Regiment, which was formed during the colonial era.[90] TheWest India Regiment was used extensively throughout the British Empire inpolicing the empire from 1795 to 1926. Other units in the JDF heritage includethe early colonial Jamaica Militia, the Kingston Infantry Volunteers of WWI andreorganised into the Jamaican Infantry Volunteers in World War II. The WestIndies Regiment was reformed in 1958 as part of the West Indies Federation, after dissolution of the Federation the JDF wasestablished.[91]
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) comprisesan infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleetand a supporting Engineering Unit.[92] Theinfantry regiment contains the 1st, 2nd and 3rd (National Reserve) battalions.The JDF Air Wing is divided into three flight units, a training unit, a supportunit and the JDF Air Wing (National Reserve). The Coast Guard is dividedbetween seagoing crews and support crews who conduct maritime safety andmaritime law enforcement as well as defence-related operations.[93]
The role of the support battalion is toprovide support to boost numbers in combat and issue competency training inorder to allow for the readiness of the force.[94] The1st Engineer Regiment was formed due to an increased demand for militaryengineers and their role is to provide engineering services whenever andwherever they are needed.[95] TheHeadquarters JDF contains the JDF Commander, Command Staff as well asIntelligence, Judge Advocate office, Administrative and Procurement sections.[96]
In recent years the JDF has been called onto assist the nation's police, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), in fighting drug smuggling and a risingcrime rate which includes one of the highest murder rates in the world. JDFunits actively conduct armed patrols with the JCF in high-crime areas and knowngang neighbourhoods. There has been vocal controversy as well as support ofthis JDF role. In early 2005, an Opposition leader, Edward Seaga, called forthe merger of the JDF and JCF. This has not garnered support in eitherorganisation nor among the majority of citizens.[citation needed] In2017, Jamaica signed the UN treatyon the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[97]
Main article: Parishes of Jamaica
Jamaica is divided into 14 parishes, which are grouped into three historic counties that have no administrative relevance.[85]
In the context of local government theparishes are designated "Local Authorities". These local authoritiesare further styled as "Municipal Corporations", which are either citymunicipalities or town municipalities.[98] Anynew city municipality must have a population of at least 50,000, and a townmunicipality a number set by the Minister of Local Government.[98] Thereare currently no town municipalities.
The local governments of the parishes ofKingston and St. Andrews are consolidated as the city municipality of Kingston& St. Andrew Municipal Corporation. The newest city municipality created isthe Municipality of Portmore in 2003. While it is geographically located withinthe parish of St. Catherine, it is governed independently.
Jamaica is the third largest island in theCaribbean.[99] Itlies between latitudes 17° and 19°N, and longitudes 76° and 79°W. Mountains dominate the interior: the Don Figuerero,Santa Cruz, and May Day mountains in the west, the Dry Harbour Mountains in the centre, and the John Crow Mountains and Blue Mountains in the east, the latter containing Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica's tallest mountain at 2,256 m.[11][85] Theyare surrounded by a narrow coastal plain.[100][11] Jamaicahas two cities, the first being Kingston, the capital city andcentre of business, located on the south coast and the second being Montego Bay, one of thebest known cities in the Caribbean for tourism, located on the northcoast. Kingston Harbour is the seventh-largest natural harbour in theworld,[101] whichcontributed to the city being designated as the capital in 1872. Other towns ofnote include Portmore, Spanish Town, Savanna la Mar, Mandeville and the resort towns of Ocho Ríos, Port Antonio and Negril.[102]
Tourist attractions include Dunn's River Falls in St. Ann, YS Falls in St. Elizabeth, the BlueLagoon in Portland, a dormant volcano's crater,[103] and Port Royal, site of amajor earthquake in 1692 that helped form the island's Palisadoes tombolo.[104]
Among the variety of terrestrial, aquaticand marine ecosystems are dry and wet limestone forests, rainforest, riparianwoodland, wetlands, caves, rivers, seagrass beds and coral reefs. Theauthorities have recognised the tremendous significance and potential of theenvironment and have designated some of the more "fertile" areas as"protected". Among the island's protected areas are the Cockpit Country, Hellshire Hills, and Litchfield forest reserves. In 1992, Jamaica'sfirst marine park, covering nearly 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi),was established in Montego Bay. Portland Bight Protected Area was designated in 1999.[105] The following year Blueand John Crow Mountains National Park was created, covering roughly 300 square miles(780 km2) of a wilderness area which supports thousands of treeand fern species and rare animals.
There are several small islands offJamaica's coast, most notably those in Portland Bight suchas PigeonIsland, SaltIsland, DolphinIsland, LongIsland, Great Goat Island and Little Goat Island, and also LimeCay located further east. Much furtherout – some 50–80 km off the south coast – lie the very small Morant Cays and Pedro Cays.
The climate in Jamaica is tropical, withhot and humid weather, although higher inland regions are more temperate.[106][85] Someregions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains,are relatively dry rain-shadow areas.[107]
Jamaica lies in the hurricane belt ofthe Atlantic Ocean andbecause of this, the island sometimes suffers significant storm damage.[108][85] Hurricanes Charlie and Gilbert hit Jamaicadirectly in 1951 and 1988, respectively, causing major damage and many deaths.In the 2000s (decade), hurricanes Ivan, Dean, and Gustav also broughtsevere weather to the island.
Jamaica's climate is tropical, supportingdiverse ecosystems with a wealth of plants and animals. Its plant life haschanged considerably over the centuries; when the Spanish arrived in 1494,except for small agricultural clearings, the country was deeply forested. TheEuropean settlers cut down the great timber trees for building and ships'supplies, and cleared the plains, savannas, and mountain slopes for intenseagricultural cultivation.[85] Manynew plants were introduced including sugarcane, bananas, and citrus trees.[85]
Jamaica is home to about 3,000 speciesof native flowering plants (ofwhich over 1,000 are endemic and200 are species of orchid), thousands of species of non-flowering flora, and about20 botanical gardens, some ofwhich are several hundred years old.[109][110] Areas of heavy rainfall also contain stands ofbamboo, ferns, ebony, mahogany, and rosewood. Cactus and similar dry-areaplants are found along the south and southwest coastal area. Parts of the westand southwest consist of large grasslands, with scattered stands of trees.Jamaica is home to three terrestrial ecoregions, the Jamaican moist forests, Jamaican dry forests, and Greater Antilles mangroves. It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.01/10, ranking it 110th globallyout of 172 countries.[111]
Jamaica's fauna, typical of the Caribbean,includes highly diversified wildlife with many endemic species. As with otheroceanic islands, land mammals are mostly several species of bats of which at least three endemic species are foundonly in Cockpit Country, one of which is at-risk. Other species of bat includethe fig-eating and hairy-tailedbats. The only non-bat native mammal extant inJamaica is the Jamaican hutia, locally known as the coney.[85] Introducedmammals such as wild boar and the small Asian mongoose are also common. Jamaica is also home to about 50species of reptiles,[112] the largest of which is the American crocodile; however, it is only present within the Black River anda few other areas. Lizards such as anoles, iguanas andsnakes such as racers and the Jamaican boa (thelargest snake on the island), are common in areas such as the Cockpit Country.None of Jamaica's eight species of native snakes is venomous.[113]
Jamaica is home to about 289 species ofbirds of which 27 are endemic including the endangered black-Billed parrots and the Jamaican blackbird, both of which are only found in Cockpit Country. It isalso the indigenous home to four species of hummingbirds (threeof which are found nowhere else in the world): the black-billed streamertail, the Jamaican mango, the Vervain hummingbird, and red-billed streamertails. The red-billed streamertail, known locally as the"doctor bird", is Jamaica's National Symbol.[114][85] Othernotable species include the Jamaican tody andthe Greater flamingo,[115]
One species of freshwater turtle is nativeto Jamaica, the Jamaican slider. It isfound only on Jamaica and on a few islands in the Bahamas. Inaddition, many types of frogs are common on the island, especially treefrogs.
Jamaican waters contain considerableresources of fresh and saltwater fish.[116] The chief varieties of saltwater fish are kingfish, jack, mackerel, whiting, bonito, and tuna. Fish that occasionally enter freshwater and estuarineenvironments include snook, jewfish, mangrove snapper, and mullets. Fish that spend themajority of their lives in Jamaica's fresh waters include many species of livebearers, killifish, freshwater gobies, the mountain mullet, and the American eel. Tilapia have been introduced from Africa for aquaculture,and are very common. Also visible in the waters surrounding Jamaica aredolphins, parrotfish, and the endangered manatee.[117]
Insects and other invertebrates areabundant, including the world's largest centipede, the Amazonian giant centipede. Jamaica is the home to about 150 species of butterfliesand moths, including 35 indigenous species and 22 subspecies. It is also thenative home to the Jamaican swallowtail, the western hemisphere's largest butterfly.[118]
Coral reef ecosystems are important becausethey provide people with a source of livelihood, food, recreation, andmedicinal compounds and protect the land on which they live.[119] Jamaicarelies on the ocean and its ecosystem for its development. However, the marinelife in Jamaica is also being affected. There could be many factors thatcontribute to marine life not having the best health. Jamaica's geologicalorigin, topographical features and seasonal high rainfall make it susceptibleto a range of natural hazards that can affect the coastal and oceanicenvironments. These include storm surge, slope failures (landslides),earthquakes, floods and hurricanes.[120] Coralreefs in the Negril Marine Park (NMP), Jamaica, have been increasingly impactedby nutrient pollution and macroalgal blooms following decades ofintensive development as a major tourist destination.[121]
Another one of those factors could includetourism: being that Jamaica is a very touristy place, the island draws numerouspeople traveling here from all over the world. The Jamaican tourism industryaccounts for 32% of total employment and 36% of the country's GDP and islargely based on the sun, sea and sand, the last two of these attributes beingdependent on healthy coral reef ecosystems.[119] Becauseof Jamaica's tourism, they have developed a study to see if the tourist wouldbe willing to help financially to manage their marine ecosystem because Jamaicaalone is unable to. The ocean connects all the countries all over the world,however, everyone and everything is affecting the flow and life in the ocean.Jamaica is a very touristy place specifically because of their beaches. Iftheir oceans are not functioning at their best then the well-being of Jamaicaand the people who live there will start to deteriorate. According to the OECD,oceans contribute $1.5 trillion annually in value-added to the overall economy.[122] Adeveloping country on an island will get the majority of their revenue fromtheir ocean.
Pollution comes from run-off, sewagesystems, and garbage. However, this typically all ends up in the ocean after thereis rain or floods. Everything that ends up in the water changes the quality andbalance of the ocean. Poor coastal water quality has adversely affectedfisheries, tourism and mariculture, as well as undermining biologicalsustainability of the living resources of ocean and coastal habitats.[120] Jamaicaimports and exports many goods through their waters. Some of the imports thatgo into Jamaica include petroleum and petroleum products. Issues includeaccidents at sea; risk of spills through local and international transport ofpetroleum and petroleum products.[120] Oilspills can disrupt the marine life with chemicals that are not normally foundin the ocean. Other forms of pollution also occur in Jamaica. Solid wastedisposal mechanisms in Jamaica are currently inadequate.[120] Thesolid waste gets into the water through rainfall forces. Solid waste is alsoharmful to wildlife, particularly birds, fish and turtles that feed at thesurface of the water and mistake floating debris for food.[120] Forexample, plastic can be caught around birds' and turtles' necks, making itdifficult to eat and breath as they begin to grow, causing the plastic to gettighter around their necks. Pieces of plastic, metal, and glass can be mistakenfor the food fish eat. Each Jamaican generates 1 kg (2 lbs) of wasteper day; only 70% of this is collected by National Solid Waste ManagementAuthority (NSWMA)—the remaining 30% is either burnt or disposed of ingullies/waterways.[123]
There are policies that are being put intoplace to help preserve the ocean and the life below water. The goal ofintegrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is to improve the quality of life ofhuman communities who depend on coastal resources while maintaining thebiological diversity and productivity of coastal ecosystems.[120] Developingan underdeveloped country can impact the oceans ecosystem because of all theconstruction that would be done to develop the country. Over-building, drivenby powerful market forces as well as poverty among some sectors of thepopulation, and destructive exploitation contribute to the decline of ocean andcoastal resources.[120] Developingpractices that will contribute to the lives of the people but also to the lifeof the ocean and its ecosystem. Some of these practices include: Developsustainable fisheries practices, ensure sustainable mariculture techniques andpractices, sustainable management of shipping, and promote sustainable tourism practices.[120]
Further information: Demographics of Jamaica and Jamaican people
Jamaica's diverse ethnic roots arereflected in the national motto "Out of Many One People". Most of the population of 2,812,000 (July 2018 est.)[11] are ofAfrican or partially African descent, with many being able to trace theirorigins to the West African countries of Ghana and Nigeria.[85][124] Other major ancestral areas are Europe,[125] South Asia, and EastAsia.[126] It isuncommon for Jamaicans to identify themselves by race as is prominent in othercountries such as the United States, with most Jamaicans seeing Jamaicannationality as an identity in and of itself, identifying as simply being"Jamaican" regardless of ethnicity.[127][128] Astudy found that the average admixture on the island was 78.3% Sub-SaharanAfrican, 16.0% European, and 5.7% East Asian.[129] Anotherstudy in 2020 showed that Jamaicans of African descent represent 76.3% of thepopulation, followed by 15.1% Afro-European, 3.4% East Indian and Afro-EastIndian, 3.2% Caucasian, 1.2% Chinese and 0.8% other.[130]
The Jamaican Maroons ofAccompong and other settlements are the descendants of African slaves who fledthe plantations for the interior where they set up their own autonomouscommunities.[131][132][133] ManyMaroons continue to have their own traditions and speak their own language,known locally as Kromanti.[134]
Asians form the second-largest group andinclude Indo-Jamaicans and Chinese Jamaicans.[135] Mostare descended from indentured workers brought by the British colonialgovernment to fill labour shortages following the abolition of slavery in 1838.Prominent Indian Jamaicans include jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who wasthe first Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby, NBC Nightly News journalist Lester Holt, and Miss Jamaica World and Miss Universe winner Yendi Phillips. Thesouthwestern parish of Westmoreland is famous for its large population ofIndo-Jamaicans.[136] Alongwith their Indian counterparts, Chinese Jamaicans havealso played an integral part in Jamaica's community and history. Prominentdescendants of this group include Canadian billionaire investor Michael Lee-Chin,supermodels Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford, and VP Records founder Vincent "Randy" Chin.
There are about 20,000 Jamaicans whohave Lebanese and Syrian ancestry.[137] Most were Christian immigrants who fled the Ottoman occupation ofLebanon in the early 19th century. Eventually their descendants became verysuccessful politicians and businessmen. Notable Jamaicans from this group includeformer Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga, Jamaican politician and formerMiss World Lisa Hanna, Jamaican politicians Edward Zacca and Shahine Robinson, andhotelier Abraham Elias Issa.
The first wave of English immigrants arrivedto the island 1655 after conquering the Spanish, and they have historicallybeen the dominant group. Prominent descendants from this group includeformer American Governor of NewYork David Paterson, SandalsHotels owner Gordon Butch Stewart, United States PresidentialAdvisor and"mother" of the Pell Grant LoisRice, and former UnitedStates National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice. The firstIrish immigrants came to Jamaica in the 1600s as war prisoners and later,indentured labour. Their descendants include two of Jamaica's National Heroes: Prime Ministers Michael Manley andAlexander Bustamante. Along with the English and the Irish, the Scots are another groupthat has made a significant impact on the island. According to the Scotland Herald newspaper, Jamaica has more people using the Campbell surnamesthan the population of Scotland itself,and it also has the highest percentage of Scottish surnames outside ofScotland. Scottish surnames account to about 60% of the surnames in theJamaican phone books.[citation needed] Thefirst Jamaican inhabitants from Scotland were exiled "rebels". Later,they would be followed by ambitious businessmen who spent time between theirgreat country estates in Scotland and the island. As a result, many of theslave owning plantations on the island were owned by Scottish men, and thus alarge number of mixed-race Jamaicans can claim Scottish ancestry. Highimmigration from Scotland continued until well after independence.[citation needed] Today,notable Scottish-Jamaicans include the businessman John Pringle, formerAmerican Secretary of State Colin Powell, andAmerican actress Kerry Washington.[138]
There is also a significant Portuguese Jamaicanpopulation that is predominantly of Sephardic Jewish heritage.[139][140][141][142] The first Jews arrived as explorers from Spain inthe 15th century after being forced to convert to Christianity or face death. Asmall number of them became slave owners and even famous pirates.[143] Judaism eventually became very influential inJamaica and can be seen today with many Jewish cemeteries around the country.During the Holocaust Jamaica became a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution inEurope.[144] Famous Jewish descendants include the dancehallartist Sean Paul, formerrecord producer and founder of Island Records Chris Blackwell, and Jacob De Cordova whowas the founder of the Daily Gleaner newspaper.[145][146][147]
In recent years immigration has increased,coming mainly from China, Haiti, Cuba, Colombia, and Latin America;20,000 Latin Americans reside in Jamaica.[148] In 2016, the Prime Minister Andrew Holnesssuggested making Spanish Jamaica's second official language.[149] About 7,000 Americans alsoreside in Jamaica.[citation needed] NotableAmerican with connection to the island include fashion icon Ralph Lauren,philanthropist Daisy Soros, Blackstone's Schwarzman family, the family of the late Lieutenant Governor ofDelaware John W. Rollins, fashion designer Vanessa Noel, investorGuy Stuart, Edward and Patricia Falkenberg, and iHeart Media CEO Bob Pittman, all of whom hold annual charity events to support theisland.[150]
Main articles: Jamaican Patois and Jamaican English
Jamaica is regarded as a bilingual country, with two major languages in use by thepopulation.[151][135] Theofficial language is English, which is "used inall domains of public life", including the government, the legal system,the media, and education. However, the primary spoken language is an English-based creole called Jamaican Patois (orPatwa). The two exist in a dialect continuum, with speakers using a differentregister of speech depending on context and whom they are speaking to."Pure" Patois, though sometimes seen as merely a particularlyaberrant dialect of English, is essentially mutually unintelligible withstandard English and is best thought of as a separate language.[85] A 2007survey by the Jamaican Language Unit found that 17.1 percent of the populationwere monolingual inJamaican Standard English (JSE), 36.5 percent were monolingual in Patois, and46.4 percent were bilingual, although earlier surveys had pointed to a greaterdegree of bilinguality (up to 90 percent).[152] The Jamaican education system has only recentlybegun to offer formal instruction in Patois, while retaining JSE as the"official language of instruction".[153]
Additionally, some Jamaicans use one ormore of Jamaican Sign Language (JSL), American Sign Language (ASL) or the declining indigenous Jamaican Country Sign Language (Konchri Sain).[154] BothJSL and ASL are rapidly replacing Konchri Sain for a variety of reasons.[154]
Main article: Jamaican diaspora
Many Jamaicans have emigrated to other countries, especially to the UnitedKingdom, the United States, and Canada. In the case of the United States, about20,000 Jamaicans per year are granted permanent residence.[155] There has also been emigration of Jamaicans toother Caribbeans countries such as Cuba,[156] Puerto Rico, Guyana,and The Bahamas. It wasestimated in 2004 that up to 2.5 million Jamaicans and Jamaican descendantslive abroad.[157]
Jamaicans in the United Kingdom number an estimated 800,000 making them by far thecountry's largest African-Caribbean group. Large-scale migration from Jamaica to the UK occurredprimarily in the 1950s and 1960s when the country was still under British rule.Jamaican communities exist in most large UK cities.[158] Concentrationsof expatriate Jamaicans are quite considerable in numerous citiesin the United States, including New York City, Buffalo, the Miami metro area, Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, Tampa, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Hartford, Providence and Los Angeles.[159] In Canada, the Jamaican population is centredin Toronto,[160] withsmaller communities in cities such as Hamilton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa.[161] Jamaican Canadians comprise about 30% of theentire Black Canadian population.[162][163]
A notable though much smaller group ofemigrants are Jamaicans in Ethiopia. These are mostly Rastafarians, in whose theologicalworldview Africa is the promised land, or "Zion", or morespecifically Ethiopia, due to reverence in which former Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie isheld.[164] Most live in the small town of Shashamane about 150 miles (240 km)south of the capital Addis Ababa.[165]
Main article: Crime in Jamaica
See also: Prisons in Jamaica and LGBT rights in Jamaica
When Jamaica gained independence in 1962,the murder rate was 3.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest in theworld.[166] By2009, the rate was 62 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest in the world.[167] Gang violence became a serious problem, withorganised crime being centred around Jamaican posses or"Yardies". Jamaica has had one of the highest murder ratesin the world for many years, according to UN estimates.[168][169] Someareas of Jamaica, particularly poor areas in Kingston, Montego Bay andelsewhere experience high levels of crime and violence.[170]
However, there were 1,683 reported murdersin 2009 and 1,447 in 2010.[171] After 2011 the murder rate continued to fall,following the downward trend in 2010, after a strategic programme was launched.[172] In 2012, the Ministry of National Security reporteda 30 percent decrease in murders.[173] Nevertheless, in 2017 murders rose by 22% over theprevious year.[174]
Many Jamaicans are hostile towards LGBT and intersex people,[175][176][177] and mob attacks against gay people have beenreported.[178][179][180] Numeroushigh-profile dancehall and ragga artists have produced songs featuring explicitlyhomophobic lyrics.[181] Malehomosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.[182][183]
Main article: Religion in Jamaica
Christianity is the largest religion practised in Jamaica.[85][11] About70% are Protestants; Roman Catholics arejust 2% of the population.[11] Accordingto the 2001 census, the country's largest Protestant denominations arethe Church of God (24%), Seventh-day Adventist Church (11%), Pentecostal (10%), Baptist (7%), Anglican (4%), United Church (2%), Methodist (2%), Moravian (1%) and Plymouth Brethren (1%).[16] Bedwardism is a form of Christianity native to the island,sometimes viewed as a separate faith.[184][185] The Christian faith gained acceptance as BritishChristian abolitionists and Baptist missionaries joined educated former slavesin the struggle against slavery.[186]
The Rastafari movement has 29,026adherents, according to the 2011 census, with 25,325 Rastafarian males and3,701 Rastafarian females.[16] Thefaith originated in Jamaica in the 1930s and though rooted in Christianity itis heavily Afrocentric in its focus, revering figures such as the Jamaicanblack nationalist Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie, the formerEmperor of Ethiopia.[187][85] Rastafarihas since spread across the globe, especially to areas with large black orAfrican diasporas.[188][189]
Various faiths and traditional religiouspractices derived from Africa are practised on the island, notably Kumina, Convince, Myal and Obeah.[190][191][192]
Other religions in Jamaica include Jehovah's Witnesses (2% population), the Bahá'í faith, which counts perhaps 8,000 adherents[193] and 21 Local Spiritual Assemblies,[194] Mormonism,[195] Buddhism,and Hinduism.[196][197] The Hindu Diwali festival is celebrated yearly among the Indo-Jamaican community.[198][199]
There is also a small population of about200 Jews, who describe themselves as Liberal-Conservative.[200] The first Jews in Jamaica trace their roots back toearly 15th-century Spain and Portugal.[201] Kahal Kadosh Shaare Shalom, also known as the United Congregation of Israelites, isa historic synagogue located in the city of Kingston. Originally built in1912, it is the official and only Jewish place of worship left on the island.The once abundant Jewish population has voluntarily converted to Christianityover time.[citation needed] ShaareShalom is one of the few synagogues in the world that contains sand coveredfloors and is a popular tourist destination.[202][203]
Other small groups include Muslims, who claim 5,000adherents.[16] TheMuslim holidays of Ashura (knownlocally as Hussay or Hosay) and Eid have beencelebrated throughout the island for hundreds of years. In the past, everyplantation in each parish celebrated Hosay. Today it has been called an Indiancarnival and is perhaps most well known in Clarendon where it is celebratedeach August. People of all religions attend the event, showing mutual respect.[204][199]
Main article: Culture of Jamaica
Main article: Music of Jamaica
Though a small nation, Jamaican culture hasa strong global presence. The musical genres reggae, ska, mento, rocksteady, dub, and, more recently, dancehall and ragga all originated in the island's vibrant, popularurban recording industry.[205] These have themselves gone on to influence numerousother genres, such as punk rock (through reggae and ska), dub poetry, New Wave, two-tone, lovers rock, reggaeton, jungle, drum and bass, dubstep, grime and American rap music. Somerappers, such as The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, and HeavyD, are of Jamaican descent.
Bob Marley is probably the best known Jamaican musician; withhis band the Wailers he had a string of hits in 1960s–70s, popularisingreggae internationally and going on to sell millions of records.[206][207] Manyother internationally known artists were born in Jamaica, including Toots Hibbert, Millie Small, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Half Pint, Protoje, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, BigYouth, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Desmond Dekker, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Shaggy, Grace Jones, Shabba Ranks, SuperCat, Buju Banton, SeanPaul, IWayne, Bounty Killer andmany others. Bands that came from Jamaica include Black Uhuru, Third World Band, Inner Circle, Chalice Reggae Band, Culture, Fab Five and Morgan Heritage.
Main article: Jamaican literature
The journalist and author H. G. de Lisser usedhis native country as the setting for his many novels.[208] Bornin Falmouth, Jamaica, de Lisserworked as a reporter for the Jamaica Times at ayoung age and in 1920 began publishing the magazine Planters' Punch. TheWhite Witch of Rosehall is one of his better-known novels. He wasnamed Honorary President of the Jamaican Press Association; he workedthroughout his professional career to promote the Jamaican sugar industry.
Roger Mais, a journalist, poet, and playwright wrote many shortstories, plays, and novels, including The Hills Were Joyful Together (1953), BrotherMan (1954), and Black Lightning (1955).[209]
Ian Fleming, who had a home in Jamaica where he spent considerabletime, repeatedly used the island as a setting in his James Bond novels,including Live and Let Die, Doctor No, "For Your Eyes Only", The Man with the GoldenGun, and Octopussy and The LivingDaylights.[210]
Marlon James (1970), novelist has published three novels: JohnCrow's Devil (2005), The Book of Night Women (2009) and A Brief History of SevenKillings (2014), winner ofthe 2015 Man Booker Prize.[211]
See also: List of Jamaican films
Jamaica has a history in the film industrydating from the early 1960s. A look at delinquent youth in Jamaica is presentedin the 1970s musical crime film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff as afrustrated (and psychopathic) reggae musician who descends into a murderous crimespree.[212] Other notable Jamaican films include Countryman, Rockers, Dancehall Queen, One Love, Shottas, Out the Gate, Third World Cop and Kingston Paradise. Jamaica isalso often used as a filming location, such as the James Bond film Dr. No (1962), Papillon (1973) starring Steve McQueen, Cocktail (1988) starring Tom Cruise, and the1993 Disney comedy Cool Runnings, which is loosely based on the true story of Jamaica'sfirst bobsled team trying to make it in the Winter Olympics.
Main article: Jamaican cuisine
The island is famous for its Jamaican jerk spice, curries and rice and peas whichis integral to Jamaican cuisine. Jamaica is also home to Red Stripe beerand Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.
(From the Jamaica Information Service)[213]
· Nationalbird: red-billed streamertail (also called doctor bird) (a hummingbird, Trochiluspolytmus)
· Nationalflower – lignum vitae (Guiacum officinale)
· Nationaltree: blue mahoe (Hibiscustalipariti elatum)
· Nationalfruit: ackee (Blighia sapida)
· Nationalmotto: "Out of Many, One People."
Main article: Sport in Jamaica
Sport is an integral part of national lifein Jamaica and the island's athletes tend to perform to a standard well abovewhat might ordinarily be expected of such a small country.[14] Whilethe most popular local sport is cricket, on the international stage Jamaicans have tended to doparticularly well at track and field athletics.[14][214]
The country was one of the venues of 2007 Cricket World Cup and the West Indies cricket team is one of 12 ICC full member teams that participate ininternational Test cricket.[215] The Jamaica national cricket team competes regionally, and also provides players forthe West Indies team. Sabina Park is the only Test venue in the island, but the Greenfield Stadium is also used for cricket.[216][217]
Since independence Jamaica has consistentlyproduced world class athletes in track and field.[14] Overthe past six decades Jamaica has produced dozens of world class sprintersincluding Olympic and World Champion Usain Bolt, worldrecord holder in the 100m for men at 9.58s, and 200m for men at 19.19s. Othernoteworthy Jamaican sprinters include Arthur Wint, the firstJamaican Olympic gold medalist; Donald Quarrie, Elaine Thompson doubleOlympic champion from Rio 2016 in the 100m and 200m, Olympic Champion andformer 200m world record holder; Roy Anthony Bridge, part of the International Olympic Committee; Merlene Ottey; DelloreenEnnis-London; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, theformer World and two time Olympic 100m Champion; Kerron Stewart; Aleen Bailey; Juliet Cuthbert; three-timeOlympic gold medalist; Veronica Campbell-Brown; Sherone Simpson; Brigitte Foster-Hylton; Yohan Blake; Herb McKenley; George Rhoden, Olympic gold medalist; Deon Hemmings, Olympicgold medalist; as well as Asafa Powell, former 100m world record holder and two-time 100mOlympic finalist and gold medal winner in the men's 2008 Olympic 4 × 100 m. American Olympic winner Sanya Richards-Ross was also born in Jamaica.
Association football and horse-racing areother popular sports in Jamaica. The national football team qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Horseracing was Jamaica's first sport. Today, horse racing provides jobs for about20,000 people including horse breeders, groomers, and trainers. Also, severalJamaicans are known internationally for their success in horse racing includingRichard DePass, who once held the Guinness Book of World Records for the mostwins in a day, Canadian awards winner George HoSang, and American award winnersCharlie Hussey, Andrew Ramgeet, and Barrington Harvey.[218]
Race car driving is also a popular sport inJamaica with several car racing tracks and racing associations across thecountry.[219]
The Jamaica national bobsled team was once a serious contender in the Winter Olympics, beatingmany well-established teams. Chess and basketball are widely played in Jamaicaand are supported by the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF) and the JamaicaBasketball Federation (JBF), respectively. Netball is also very popular on the island, with the Jamaica national netball team called The Sunshine Girls consistently ranking inthe top five in the world.[220]
Rugby league has been played in Jamaica since 2006.[221] The Jamaica national rugbyleague team is made up ofplayers who play in Jamaica and from UK based professional and semiprofessional clubs (notably in the Super League and Championship). In November 2018 for the first time ever, the Jamaicanrugby league team qualified for the Rugby League World Cup after defeating the USA & Canada. Jamaica will play in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England.[222]
According to ESPN, the highest paid Jamaican professional athlete in 2011was Justin Masterson, starting pitcher for the baseball team Cleveland Indians in the United States.
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