Basic Jamaica Facts - Part 1

Here are some basic Jamaica facts for you...

Names Used For Jamaica
Where is Jamaica located?
Jamaica Flag
Topography of Jamaia
Capital of Jamaica

Parishes of Jamaica
History of Jamaica
Culture of Jamaica
Government of Jamaica
Emergency Phone Numbers

Names Used For Jamaica

Jamaica - official name

Xaymaca - name given by Tainos (original inhabitants)

Jamrock - slang name

Residents are called Jamaicans.

Where is Jamaica located?

Jamaica is an island-nation of the Greater Antilles and is located in the Caribbean Sea. Cuba is 90 miles (145 km) north of Jamaica... and Miami, USA is 550 miles (885 km) north of us. (We're the little island coloured red on the map above.) Click here to find out more about Jamaica's location.

^ Top of Page

Jamaica Flag

Flag of Jamaica

Jamaica's Flag has three colours... black, green and gold. The symbolism of the colours is expressed as: Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth.

Click here to learn more about the Jamaica flag.

^ Top of Page

Topography of Jamaica

Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean... and the third largest island in the Caribbean.

It is 146 miles (234 km) long and as much as 51 miles (82 km) wide. The total land area of 4,442 sq miles (10,991 sq km) is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut in the USA.

Much of the terrain is mountainous with the land rising above 1,000 feet (305 km). Our highest point is Blue Mountain Peak which is 7,402 feet (2,256m) above sea level.

However, we also have an abundance of valleys and plains, and for the icing on the cake... waterfalls (e.g. Dunn's River Falls) and mineral springs (e.g. Milk River Bath)!

^ Top of Page

Capital of Jamaica

The capital of Jamaica is Kingston. Click here to learn more about Kingston, Jamaica.

^ Top of Page

Parishes of Jamaica

Here are the basic Jamaica facts about the Parishes of Jamaica...

There are 14 Parishes and 3 Counties (Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey).

County	Parish
Cornwall	Hanover
	St. Elizabeth
	St. James
	Trelawny
	Westmoreland
Middlesex	Clarendon
	Manchester
	St. Ann
	St. Catherine
	St. Mary
Surrey	Kingston
	Portland
	St. Andrew
	St. Thomas

Click here for a FREE map of Jamaica!

^ Top of Page

History of Jamaica

Christopher Columbus (the world-famous jet-setter) visited Jamaica over 500 years ago... and met the original inhabitants. Get a glimpse of what has been happening here since. Click here to get more information about the history of Jamaica.

^ Top of Page

Culture of Jamaica

Jamaica culture is an interesting and diverse blend of cultures. It has been strongly influenced by Spanish, British, West African and Asian cultural elements (as well as others) over the centuries. Click here to learn more about the culture of Jamaica.

^ Top of Page

Government of Jamaica

Here are some basic Jamaica facts about our system of government.

Jamaica's type of government is a constitutional parliamentary democracy. We gained independence from Britain in 1962.

The Head of State is the Governor General - His Excellency the Most Honourable Professor Kenneth O. Hall, ON, OJ. He assumed the office of Governor-General of Jamaica on February 16, 2006.

The Head of the Government is Prime Minister The Honourable Bruce Golding. He is the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and is the country's eight Prime Minister since Independence. The Prime Minister assumed office on September 11, 2007.

Mr. Golding was preceded by Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller (Jamaica's Leader of the Opposition). She is the president of the People's National Party (PNP). Also, she has the distinction of being the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica... and was in charge from March 30, 2006 - September 11, 2007.

^ Top of Page