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Jamaica
Area: 10,991 sq. km
Population:2.7 million est (STATIN 2006)
Capital City: Kingston (pop. 660,000)
People: African 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, Chinese 0.2%, White 0.2%, Mixed 7.3%, Other 0.1%
Languages: English, Patois
Education: Mandatory and free up to age 16.
Religions: Anglican, Baptist and other Protestant, Roman Catholic, Rastafarian, Jewish, Bahai
Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD) 142 JMD to the UK pound (Sept07)
Major Political Parties: People's National Party (PNP), Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), National Democratic Movement (NDM)
Government: Constitutional parliamentary democracy. Independence: 6 August 1962
Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth, represented by the Governor-General, The Most Hon Professor Kenneth Hall
Prime Minister: The Honourable Bruce Golding MP (JLP)
Foreign Minister: The Honourable Dr Kenneth Baugh MP
GEOGRAPHY
Jamaica is located in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba. Its terrain is mostly mountainous, with a narrow, discontinuous coastal plain. Its climate is tropical all year and more temperate inland.
HISTORY
Columbus landed in Jamaica on 4 May 1494 and found it occupied by Arawak Indians. He took possession in the name of Spain. The Arawaks had died out by the time an English expedition of 7,000 landed at Passage Fort on 10 May 1655. Most of the slaves the Spanish had imported from Africa remained in the interior using the opportunity to set up towns where they could live in freedom; they became known as the Maroons. In 1662 the people of Jamaica were given the rights of citizens of England and the right to make their own laws.
The People's National Party (PNP) was formed in 1938 under the leadership of Mr Norman Manley, with the aim of establishing representative and responsible government for Jamaica within the Commonwealth. It is supported by the National Workers' Union to which it is affiliated. Mr Alexander Bustamante formed the second major political party, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), in 1943. Like the PNP, the JLP derives support from Labour unions and affiliates to the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU). Jamaica became a member of the Federation of the West Indies in 1958 and self-governing in its internal affairs in 1959. As a result of a referendum in 1961, Jamaica withdrew from the Federation of the West Indies and became an independent sovereign country within the Commonwealth on 6 August 1962.
POLITICS
On the 3 September 2007 the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won the General Election and its leader, Mr Bruce Golding was sworn in as the country’s eighth Prime Minister on the 11 September. He announced his new cabinet on the 12 September. The JLP previously held power from 1980 to 1989.
The main Opposition party is the the People's National Party (PNP, social democrat). The PNP held power from February 1989 to September 2007, with former Prime Minister P J Patterson holding office for an unprecedented four terms between 1992 and 2006. Upon Mr Patterson's retirement from office, Mrs Portia Simpson Miller was elected leader of the PNP and served as Prime Minister from March 2006 until September 2007.
ECONOMY
Key sectors in the economy are tourism, remittances and bauxite. Alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports. Agriculture also plays an important role.
Following a near economic crisis in the first half of 2003, the authorities worked hard to stabilise the economy and restore market confidence. Challenges remain, such as high interest rates and a growing international debt, increased foreign competition and a growing trade deficit. In addition there is an urgent need for the sugar industry to diversify as well as to tackle rising crime and a 'brain drain' to avoid constrained future growth.
Political constraints deter budget austerity and fears have been raised about Jamaica’s ability to meet its long-term debt obligations (despite a record of never having faulted). But, galvanised into action and supported by the private sector, the Government has implemented a tight programme of budget control, including an agreement with the Unions that public sector wages would not rise by more than 3% if inflation can be kept below 10%.
In August 2007 Jamaica was hit by Hurricane Dean which led to four deaths and damage to infrastructure, housing and the farming community. Agricultural production was also disrupted, although not a sevrely as in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan struck the island.
Basic Economic Facts
GDP:US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$ 10.3 billion (2006, EIU)
GNI per capita US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$ 3,400 (2005, World Bank)
Annual Growth: 2.5 % (2006, Government of Jamaica,)
Inflation:8.6% (2006, EIU)
Major Industries: tourism, bauxite and alumina, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, sugar, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, bananas.
Major Trading Partners: US, EU, UK, Canada, CARICOM countries, Latin America, Japan
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Jamaica has diplomatic relations with most nations and is a member of the United Nations and the Organisation of American States. In 2005 Jamaica was chair of the G77 UN grouping. Jamaica is an active member of the Commonwealth. It is also linked with the other countries of the English-speaking Caribbean through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and more broadly through the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
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