Jamaica

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Country Name

Jamaica.

 

Location

Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Jamaica lies about 145 kilometers (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometers (119 mi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic ); the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands lies some 215 kilometers (134 mi) to the northwest.


Capital

Kingston.

 

Reasons for Naming the Country

Jamaica, whose name means “land of wood and water,” was originally spelled “Xaymaca” but was later changed by Spanish Explorers. The Indigenous people, the Yamaye (also known as the Taíno), called the island Xaymaca in the Arawakan language, meaning the “Land of Wood and Water” or the “Land of Springs”. Before 1580, Honduras referred to only the eastern part of the province, and Higueras referred to the western part.

 

Flag

The Jamaican flag was adopted on August 6, 1962, after gaining independence from the Federation of the West Indies. The flag of Jamaica has two diagonal yellow lines forming a cross on the flag, which sections it into four parts. The top and bottom sections are equal-sized green triangles, and the left and right sections are equal-sized black triangles. The Jamaican flag is symbolized by the motto: ‘Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shines. The black represents the adversity Jamaica has overcome and any hardships it may have in the future. The green represents hope and agriculture and the yellow represents a diagonal cross) which stands for the mineral wealth of Jamaica and sunlight.

 

Language

Jamaica is a bilingual country where Jamaican English and Jamaican Patois are the most widely spoken languages. English is the official language in Jamaica and the language is mostly used in formal contexts. The English spoken in Jamaica has been influenced mainly by British English. The Jamaican Patois is also referred to as Jamaican Creole or Patwa. Although English is the country’s official language, Jamaican patois is the most commonly spoken.

 

Religion

Christianity is the dominant religion in Jamaica. The majority are Protestant Christians and the others are Roman Catholic.
Other religions practiced in the country include Rastafarianism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Atheists.

 

Currency

Jamaican dollar (JMD).

 

Time Zone

-05:00 GMT.

 

Government Regime

Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

 

Climate

In Jamaica, the climate is tropical, and hot all year round, with little difference between winter and summer (just a few degrees). Even in winter, daytime temperatures are around 27/30 °C (81/86 °F) and night-time temperatures are around 20/23 °C (68/73 °F). The southern coast, where Kingston is located, is slightly warmer in the winter months the maximum temperature is around 30 °C (86 °F) even in January.

 

International Phone Code

+1-876
+1-658

 

Internet Code

.jm

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