Jamaica

Genroy Hylton

My countries official name is Jamaica. The capital is Kingston. Some of

Jamaica’s main cities are Montego Bay who population is 82,000; Mandeville who
population is 13,681 Port Antonio who population is 10,426 and Ocho Rios who’s
population is 5,851. Jamaica’s population is of 2.8 million people.
The Jamaican flag consists of three colors, green, black, and gold. Black stands
for hardships overcome and to be faced; Gold, for natural wealth and beauty of sunlight;
and Green stands for hope and agricultural resources. Jamaica’s Independence Day is on
August 6th.

Brief History
Jamaica Island was inhabited by Arawaks for hundreds of years or even more.
They lived a simple life in small community based on fishing, hunting, and small scale
cultivation. The arrival of Spanish led by Columbus opened the door of the island to the
world, but the economic activities also brought new diseases that destroyed native
Arawaks small communities in a few decades.
The movement for independence was the reaction to the economic crisis spawned
by the Great Depression. In 1938, two major political parties, and the labor unions
affiliated to them combined efforts in fighting for political independence from England.
By 1962, Jamaica was granted political independence.

Economy
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for
70% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism,
remittances, and bauxite/alumina. The global economic slowdown, particularly after the
terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy
rebounded moderately in 2003, with one of the best tourist seasons on record. But the
economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates; increased foreign
competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade
deficit; large-scale unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the result of government
bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The ratio of debt to GDP is close to 150%.
Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Depressed
economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by
the drug trade. In 2004, the government faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve
fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a
serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.

Type of Government

Jamaica has a type of government referred to as constitutional monarchy in

which the head of state is a monarch representing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of
Britain. She is represented by a governor general that is periodically installed by the
Jamaican Parliament. In this form of government the people are governed by a
constitution and the head of government is elected by the people in periodic
parliamentary elections every five years. This is just a brief description.
Currency

The unit of currency in Jamaica is the Jamaican dollar. One U.S. Dollar equals
approximately 48.5 Jamaican dollars. Jamaican law requires that Jamaican currency be
used when paying for all goods and services, though that law is followed very loosely and
the U.S. dollar is accepted almost universally. Credit cards may also be used.

National Anthem
Jamaica, Land We Love is there name of there national anthem.

Events
August 6 there is the Independence celebration with is help at the Jamaican
National stadium in Kingston. Costumed people celebrate with a parade through the
street leading to the Jamaica national stadium.

In Christmas there is the Junkonoo celebration where custom men dress in "scary"
costume and dance in the street.

Carnival is fairly new to Jamaica and is an export from the Eastern Caribbean

The celebration lasts for a week. There are street dances and parades with a grand
finale at the end of the week at the Jamaican national stadium in Kingston. The
processions feature colorful floats and people in costumes.