Jamaica (1)

Tartu Secondary School of business
JAMAICA
Form 10 A
Tartu 2007
Introduction 3
Geography 3
History 3
Economy 4
Econometrics 6
Climate 6
Culture 6
Crime 7
Conclusion 8
Pictures 8
Used material : 9

Introduction

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (146 mi) in length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 620 kilometres (385 mi) northeast of the Central American mainland, 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba , and 190 kilometres (120 mi) west of the island of Hispaniola, on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are situated. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning either the " Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water". Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas , after the United States and Canada . I chosed Jamica because there are many things what I like in this country. Mostly I like Jamaica´s music, culture and climate.

Geography

Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean, and the most populous English speaking island there. The island of Jamaica is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a narrow coastal plain. Most major towns and both cities are located on the coast. Chief towns include the capital city Kingston , Portmore, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio , and the city of Montego Bay.

History

Sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1494 , Jamaica was conquered and settled in 1509 by Spaniards under a license from Columbus's son. Spanish exploitation decimated the native Arawaks. The island remained Spanish until 1655, when Admiral William Penn and Robert Venables captured it; it was formally ceded to England in 1670, but the local European population obtained a degree of autonomy. Jamaica prospered from the wealth brought by buccaneers, notably Sir Henry Morgan , to Port Royal , the capital; in 1692, however , much of the city sank into the sea during an earthquake, and Spanish Town became the new capital.
A huge, mostly African, slave population grew up around the sugarcane plantations in the 18th cent., when Jamaica was a leading world sugar producer. Freed and escaped slaves, sometimes aided by the maroons (slaves who had escaped to remote areas after Spain lost control of Jamaica), succeeded in organizing frequent uprisings against the European landowners. The sugar industry declined in the 19th cent., partly because of the abolition of slavery in 1833 (effective 1838) and partly because of the elimination in 1846 of the imperial preference tariff for colonial products entering the British market . Economic hardship was the prime motive behind the Morant Bay rebellion by freedmen in 1865. The British ruthlessly quelled the uprising and also forced the frightened legislature to surrender its powers; Jamaica became a crown colony.
Poverty and economic decline led many blacks to seek temporary work in neighboring Caribbean areas and in the United States; many left the island permanently, emigrating to England, Canada, and the United States. Indians were imported to meet the labor shortage on the plantations after the slaves were freed, and agriculture was diversified to lessen dependence on sugar exports. A new constitution in 1884 marked the initial revival of local autonomy for Jamaica.
Despite labor and other reforms, black riots recurred, notably those of 1938, which were caused mainly by unemployment and resentment against British racial policies. Jamaican blacks had been considerably influenced by the theories of black nationalism promulgated by the American expatriate Marcus Garvey. A royal commission investigating the 1938 riots recommended an increase of economic development funds and a faster restoration of representative government for Jamaica. In 1944 universal adult suffrage was introduced, and a new constitution provided for a popularly elected house of representatives.

Economy

Jamaica is a mixed, free-market economy with state enterprises as well as private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining , manufacturing, tourism and financial and insurance services . Tourism and mining are the leading foreign exchange earners.
Supported by multilateral financial institutions, Jamaica has, since the early 1980s, sought to implement structural reforms aimed at fostering private sector activity and increasing the role of market forces in resource allocation . Since 1991, the Government has followed a programme of economic liberalization and stabilization by removing exchange controls, floating the exchange rate , cutting tariffs, stabilising the Jamaican currency, reducing inflation and removing restrictions on foreign investment. Emphasis has been placed on maintaining strict fiscal discipline, greater openness to trade and financial flows, market liberalisation and reduction in the size of government. During this period , a large share of the economy was returned to private sector ownership through divestment and privatisation programmes.
The macroeconomic stabilisation programme introduced in 1991, which focused on tight fiscal and monetary policies, has contributed to a controlled reduction in the rate of inflation. The annual inflation rate has decreased from a high of 80.2% in 1991 to 7.9% in 1998. inflation for FY1998/99 was 6.2% compared to 7.2% in the corresponding period in CUU1997/98. The Government remains committed to lowering inflation, with a long-term objective of bringing it in line with that of its major trading partners .
After a period of steady growth from 1985 to 1995, real GDP (gross domestic product) decreased by 1.8% and 2.4% in 1996 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in GDP in 1996 and 1997 was largely due to significant problems in the financial sector and, in 1997, a severe island- wide drought (the worst in 70 years ) that drastically reduced agricultural production . In 1997, nominal GDP was approximately J$220,556.2 million (US$6,198.9 million based on the average annual exchange rate of the period).
Fishing boats and bauxite cargo ships share the waterways near Alligator Pond, Jamaica
The economy in 1997 was marked by low levels of import growth, high levels of private capital inflows and relative stability in the foreign exchange market.
Recent economic performance shows the Jamaican economy is recovering. Agricultural production, an important engine of growth increased 15.3% in third quarter of 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997, signaling the first positive growth rate in the sector since January 1997. Bauxite and alumina production increased 5.5% from January to December, 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997. January's bauxite production recorded a 7.1% increase relative to January 1998 and continued expansion of alumina production through 2009 is planned by Alcoa. Tourism, which is the largest foreign exchange earner, showed improvement as well. In the third quarter of 1998, growth in tourist arrivals accelerated with an overall increase of 8.5% in tourism earnings in 1998 when compared to the corresponding period in 1997.
Jamaica has a wide variety of industrial and commercial activities . The aviation industry is able to perform most routine aircraft maintenance, except for heavy structural repairs. There is a considerable amount of technical support for transport and agricultural aviation. Jamaica has a considerable amount of industrial engineering, light manufacturing, including metal fabrication, metal roofing, and furniture manufacturing. Food and beverage processing, glassware manufacturing, computer software and data processing, printing and publishing, insurance underwriting, music and recording, and advanced education activities can be found in the larger urban areas. The Jamaican construction industry is entirely self-sufficient, with professional technical standards and guidance .
Since the first quarter of 2006, the economy of Jamaica has undergone a period of staunch growth. With inflation for the 2006 calendar year down to 6.0% and unemployment down to 8.9%, the nominal GDP grew by an unprecedented 2.9%. An investment programme in island transportation and utility infrastructure and gains in the tourism, mining, and service sectors all contributed this figure . All projections for 2007 show an even higher potential for economic growth with all estimates over 3.0% and hampered only by urban crime and public policies.
In 2006, Jamaica became part of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) as one of the pioneering members .

Econometrics

GDP (2005): $9.7 billion .
Real growth rate (2006): 2.5%.
Per capita GDP (2005): $3,640.
Natural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone , marble, sand , silica.
Agriculture: Products--sugar, bananas, coffee , citrus fruits , condiments and spices.
Industry: Types --tourism, bauxite and alumina, processed foods , sugar, rum, cement , metal, chemical products.
Trade (2005): Exports--$1.5 billion: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, chemicals , citrus fruits and products, rum, coffee. Major markets (2005)--U.S. 26.3%, U.K. 10.8%, Canada 19.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 0.6%, Japan 1.0%. Imports (2005)--$4.7 billion: machinery, transportation and electrical equipment, food, fuels, fertilizer. Major suppliers (2000)--U.S. 40.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.0%, Japan 4.5%, U.K. 2.4%, Canada 2.3%.

Climate

The climate in Jamaica is tropical , with hot and humid weather, although higher inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are relatively dry rain-shadow areas.

Culture

Though a small nation, Jamaica is rich in culture, and has a strong global presence. The musical genres reggae , ska, mento, rocksteady, dub, and, more recently, dancehall and ragga all originated in the island's vibrant popular urban recording industry. Internationally known reggae musician Bob Marley was born in Jamaica and is very respected there. Many other internationally known artists were born in Jamaica including Lee " Scratch " Perry , Peter Tosh , Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Desmond Dekker, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Shaggy, Grace Jones , Shabba Ranks, Supercat, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, I Wayne , Capleton, Bounty Killer and many others . Famous band artist groups that came from Jamaica include Black Uhuru, Third World Band, Inner Circle, Chalice Reggae Band, Fab Five , and Morgan Heritage. The genre jungle emerged from London's Jamaican diaspora. The birth of hip-hop in New York also owed much to the city's Jamaican community.
Christianity remains a strong influence on cultural life, particularly in music. Most people learn their music at church , and Biblical references are often used in popular songs . It is not uncommon for musicians to be playing dancehall music on Saturday night, and church music on Sunday morning .
The Rastafari movement was founded in Jamaica. This Back to Africa movement believes that Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was God incarnate, the returned black messiah, come to take the lost Twelve Tribes of Israel back to live with him in Holy Mount Zion in a world of perfect peace, love and harmony . Bob Marley, a convert to the faith , spread the message of Rastafari to the world. There are now estimated to be more than a million Rastafarians throughout the world.

• National Bird — Doctor Bird (Green-and-black Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus)
  
• National Flower — Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale)
  
• National Tree — Blue Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus)
  
• National Dish — Ackee and Saltfish (dried salted Cod)
  
• National Motto — "Out of Many, One People." (Unity among many cultures and races .)
  

Crime

Crime, including violent crime, is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston.  While the vast majority of crimes occur in impoverished areas, the violence is not confined.  The primary criminal concern of a tourist is being a victim of theft .  In several cases , armed robberies of Americans have turned violent when the victims resisted handing over valuables.  Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and ineffective.  Therefore, tourists should take their own precautions and always pay extra attention to their surroundings when traveling, exercise care when walking outside after dark , and should always avoid areas known for high crime rates.  As a general rule , valuables should not be left unattended, including in hotel rooms and on the beach .  Care should be taken when carrying high value items such as cameras, or when wearing expensive jewelry on the street .  Women 's handbags should be zipped and held close to the body .  Men should carry wallets in their front pants pocket.  Large amounts of cash should always be handled discreetly.
To enhance security in the principal resort areas, the Government of Jamaica has taken a number of steps, including assignment of special police foot and bicycle patrols.  Particular care is still called for, however, when staying at isolated villas and smaller establishments that may have fewer security arrangements.  Some street vendors and taxi drivers in tourist areas are known to confront and harass tourists to buy their wares or employ their services.  If a firm "No, thank you" does not solve the problem, visitors may wish to seek the assistance of a tourist or police officer.
Drug use is prevalent in some tourist areas. Citizens should avoid buying, selling , holding or taking illegal drugs under any circumstances.  There is anecdotal evidence that the use of so-called date rape drugs, such as Ruhypnol, has become more common at clubs and private parties. Marijuana , cocaine, heroin and other illegal narcotics are especially potent in Jamaica, and their use may lead to severe or even disastrous health consequences.

Conclusion

Jamaica is mostly known by culture. Most peolpe doesnt know anything about it´s eoconomy and history. Before this summary I didnt know about the crime in Jamaica. Jamaicas major industries are mining and farming, also turism . Despite of crime and some other negativ things, I think that Jamaica is very good place where to travel .

Pictures

Flag
Map
Nature

Used material:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1147.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0825906.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica#Culture
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2032.ht m
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=jamaica&gbv=2
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