Jamaica Land and People
Jamaica is a mountainous island of 4,244 square miles (10,991 square kilometers). The Blue Mountains in the east, composed in part of ancient volcanic rock, contain the island's tallest peak at 7,402 feet (2,256 meters). The northern slopes of the Blue Mountains and the nearby John Crow Mountains area completely uninhabited wilderness. Another unpopulated region is the Cockpit Country in the center of the island. A roadless jumble of limestone pinnacles and glades, the region is riddled with spectacular caves. In the west and along the coasts are savannas, plains, and scattered trees. Most Jamaicans live on the coastal plains.
The climate is tropical, with temperatures higher along the coasts and cooler in the mountains. Rainfall, too, varies with region. Northeastern Jamaica receives more than 100 inches (250 centimeters) of rainfall annually--making it one of the wettest regions in the world. Most of the country experiences severe fluctuations of drought and flood. Little rain falls on the hot, dry southern and southwestern plains. The average annual temperature at Kingston, the capital, is 79° F (26° C).
For centuries Jamaicans have exploited their island for mahogany and other cabinet woods,leaving little of the natural rain forest still standing. Erosion of the hill slopes is one serious consequence of this exploitation. But there is still a rich flora of native orchids and ferns. Throughout the year the many species of tropical and subtropical plants produce a changing spectacle of colors. Among the plants are the vivid red poinciana, the yellow poui, and the blue lignum vitae, which is Jamaica's national tree.
There are four major botanical gardens. Jamaica has more than 200 species of birds, including a beautiful hummingbird--known locally as the "doctor bird"--which is the national bird. Also abundant are bats,mongooses, frogs, lizards, and crocodiles. There are no venomous snakes on the island.
During the 18th century, more than 600,000 blacks were brought in to work on the sugar, coffee, and other plantations. Today the population of the country consists mainly of the black and mulatto descendants of those slaves. There are also minorities of East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian, Syrian, Lebanese, and European ancestry, all with full and unqualified Jamaican citizenship. More than half of the Jamaican population lives in urban areas.
The official language of Jamaica is English, but many people speak a popular and expressive Creole dialect. Originally developed as a means of communication between slaves, it contains elements from African languages as well as from English, French, and Spanish. Education is theoretically free, but illiteracy is still a problem. Near Kingston, the capital and chief port, is the main campus of the University of the West Indies and a technical college.
A religious people, Jamaicans enjoy complete freedom of worship. Many Christian denominations are represented--the majority belonging to the Church of God--and there are small groups of Jews, Muslims, and Hindus. Two cults, Kumina (Revival) and Rastafarianism, have African links and are native to Jamaica. Rastafarians use ganja, a potent form of marijuana, as a sacrament and have special rules of dress, diet, and work. Jamaicans have developed a vibrant national culture, notably represented in such fields as reggae music, drama, and the visual arts and in the sport of cricket.
Population Specifics
| Population | 2,868,380 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years : 33% (female 412,565; male 431,043) |
| 15-64 years : 60% (female 786,700; male 770,681) | |
| 65 years and over : 7% (female 96,348; male 76,954) (July 1995 est.) |
|
| Population growth rate | 0.733% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate | 22.03 births/1,000 population (1995 est.), 19.2 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.), 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -5.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | 16.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population : 74.65 years |
| male : 72.39 years | |
| female : 77.01 years (1995 est.) | |
| Total fertility rate | 2.42 children born/woman (1995 est.) |
| Nationality | noun : Jamaican(s) |
| adjective : Jamaican | |
| Ethnic divisions | African 76.3%, Afro-European 15.1%, East Indian and Afro-East Indian 3%, white 3.2%, Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2%, other 1.2% |
| Religions | Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%, Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%, Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%, other,including some spiritual cults 39.1% (1982) |
| Languages | English, Creole *(VJ's own notes, a mix of the two is predominant) |
| Literacy | age 15 and over has ever attended school (1987) : total population : 82% |
| age 15 and over has ever attended school (1987) : male : 77% | |
| age 15 and over has ever attended school (1987) : female : 86% |
|
| Labor force | 1,062,100 |
| by occupation : services 41% | |
| by occupation : agriculture 22.5% | |
| by occupation : industry 19% | |
| by occupation : unemployed 17.5% (1989) |
For most recent data, visit: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html