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Country Guide > Caribbean > Jamaica | |
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General Information Area 10,991 sq km (4244 sq miles).
Population 2,624,700 (2002). Population Density 238.8 per sq km (2002). Capital Kingston. Population: 697,000 (1994). Geography Jamaica is the third-largest island in the West Indies and is a narrow outcrop of a submerged mountain range. The island is crossed by a range of mountains reaching 2256m (7402ft) at the Blue Mountain Peak in the east, and descending towards the west with a series of spurs and forested gullies running north and south. Most of the best beaches are on the north and west coasts. The island’s luxuriant tropical and subtropical vegetation is probably unsurpassed anywhere in the Caribbean. Government Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1962. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor General Howard Cooke since 1991. Head of Government: Prime Minister Percival J Patterson since 1992. Language The official language is English. Local patois is also spoken. Religion Protestant majority (Anglican, Baptist, Church of God and Methodist) with Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Bahai communities. Rastafarianism, a religion based on belief in the divinity of the late Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari), is also widely practised. Time GMT - 6. Electricity 110 volts AC, 60Hz, single phase. American two-pin plugs are standard, but many hotels offer, in addition, 220 volts AC, 50Hz, single phase, from three-pin sockets. Communications Telephone Full IDD is available. Country code: 1 876. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 011. Mobile telephone As of 2003, GSM 1900 network. TDMA network, non-GSM compatible. The networks are Digicel (website: www.digiceljamaica.com) and Cable & Wireless Jamaica LTD. Fax This service is available daily from 0700-1000 at the Cable & Wireless office in Kingston. Widely available in most hotels and offices. Internet There are several free Internet kiosks at shopping centres in Kingston. Internet cafes exist mainly in the Kingston area. Internet is also available in many hotels and parish libraries. ISPs include Cable & Wireless (website: www.cwjamaica.com), Infochannel Ltd (website: www.infochan.com) and Jamaica Online (website: www.jol.com.jm). Telegram Facilities are widely available. Post Airmail to Europe takes up to four days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630. Press Daily papers are The Daily Gleaner, The Daily Star and The Jamaica Observer. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |
