Today August
6, 2012 is the 50 year Anniversary of Jamaica's
Independence from Great Britain, and they are having a big celebration. Jamaica West Indies was under Britain's rule from 1655 until
1962. Jamaica is an Island in the Caribbean Sea
and was inhabited by the Arawak Indians and Taino peoples (Maroons) before
Christopher Columbus landed on the Island in 1492.
Jamaica is Four Thousand four Hundred
and eleven (4,411) square miles, one hundred and forty-six (146) miles long and fifty one
(51) miles wide. Jamaica is about the size of
Connecticut. Its capital city is Kingston with a population of approximately
eight hundred thousand people. The population of the entire island is estimated
to be over two and a half million. When I lived in Jamaica, twenty-nine years
ago, the estimated population was two million.
Jamaica is situated ninety (90) miles
south of Cuba and is approximately five hundred and forty-six (546) miles south
of Miami, Florida. Jamaica is divided into
fourteen parishes, with Portland and Saint Thomas on the Far East and Hanover
and Westmoreland on the far west. In the west at Negril are breathtaking and irresistible
white sand beaches and in Portland on the East is the famous Blue Lagoon as
well as many other attractions.
Jamaica’s Motto is Out of many, One
People; which means that it is a mixed nation with an ethnic make- up of; Blacks,
Whites, East Indians and Chinese among others. Blacks are the majority. The
official language that is spoken in Jamaica is English. Patios (Patwa) is also
spoken. The National Anthem is Eternal Father Bless Our Land. The colors of the
National Flag are green, which signifies the
agriculture, gold for sunshine and its
natural beauty and black for the
hardships overcame and still to be faced. The national flower is the Lignum
Vitae, the national bird is the Doctor/Humming Bird and the National tree is
the Blue Mahoe.
Jamaica has
tropical (hot, humid and rainy) climate year round. Its average temperature is eighty-two
degrees. It gets about 80 inches of rainfall yearly. Residing in Arizona, reminds
of Jamaica in some ways. The
International Dialing Code for Jamaica is 1 876. Jamaica is in Eastern Time
zone and does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Its currencies is Dollars and Cents
and it uses the Metric System.
Jamaica is beautiful and has many beaches
and resorts. It is well-known for its History of pirates, National Heroes,
delicious foods, Blue Mountain Coffee, Reggae music, culture, and world class
athletes. As Jamaica celebrates its 50th Anniversary today, it also
celebrates the victories of its Athletes who are in London representing the
country at the Olympics in Great Britain. Ussain Bolt holds the title of
fastest man in the world and Shelly-Ann Fraser- Pryce, fastest woman.
Jamaica’s major exports are bauxite and
alumina, bananas and other fruits, sugar, coffee, cocoa, rum and even clothes.
Jamaica experiences crime, poverty and
unfavorable conditions, as do other countries, but its natural resources: beauty,
food, culture, people, tourists and rich vegetation that contribute
significantly to the economy are reasons Jamaica, a little island in the sun,
stands out among the rest.
If you have not yet visited Jamaica,
you are invited to make it your next vacation spot. If you are looking for an
all inclusive hotel on the beach that serves lots of Jamaican foods, I
recommend the Sunset Jamaica Grande. www.sunsetjamaicagrande.com
Copyright © July 2012, Pauline Lewinson
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