Jamaica's cultural landscape

tourism

Good roads and highways connect most of the vacation destinations. Drivers must remember to drive British-style, on the left side of the road. Also, drivers must learn to watch out for the many goats, bicyclists and pedestrians who also use the roads. Valid U.S. licenses are acceptable. Jamaicans created roads to transport tourists across the island. Roads connect cities within Jamaica. This allows the Jamaicans to earn money to help their economy.

They have also created restaurants much like the United States with fast food techniques. This also adds to the economy as tourists are dreawn to these type of quick, cheap establishments. 

They have altered landmarks like the Dunns Waterfall to attract tourists and gain money. They have created a culture dependent on tourist. 

They have small stores that sell cultural paraphanelia lining the small busy streets.

The Appleton Estate Rum Distillery is a place to visit that shows how Jamaicans have taken something naural and used it to create a culture suitable to their socioeconomic status. Here visitors can travel the grounds and learn about Jamaica's rum making history.

The Jamaican island is filled with resort type getaways. Many of the cities attract tourists and cruise liners. This also helps build their economy.

homes

Jamaican houses that belong to the poor are old and worn down. Homes are built this way as a result of the economy in Jamaica. Some places have very nice homes while the poor have homes that are old and nearly falling. Many of the homes are white without color.

Urban/Economic Geography of Jamaica

Urban Geography

Jamaica consisted of approximately 52% urban population in 2010. Jamaica is mostly city or town.  A majority of Jamaicans—54.7 percent— lived in urban areas in 1997, up more than 10 percent from 1975; it is expected that by 2015 more than 63 percent of the population will live in urban areas. The capital city of Kingston and its suburbs are home to the largest number of Jamaicans.     


Jamaican Economy

Jamaican have the opportunity to earn money thru the following sectors of their economy such tourism, agriculture, Mining and manufacturing, banking and foreign trade, transportation and communications.



The economy of Jamaica is largely dependent on industrial sectors like agriculture, mining, tourism, oil refining, sugar, cement, chemicals, tobacco processing, textiles, flour milling, processed foods and others.

Bauxite and alumina, raw materials used in the production of aluminum, are the country's main exports. During the 1960s Jamaica was the world's largest producer of bauxite, a position it held until the 1980s. Today, Jamaica is the world's third largest producer of bauxite, after Australia and Guinea, and has estimated reserves of more than 1.9 billion metric tons. The majority of the bauxite exported from Jamaica is first converted into alumina, though roughly 30 percent of bauxite is exported in its raw form.

In 2009, the median income level in Jamaica is $4590US$/capita, with 18.7% of the population below poverty level. When it comes to wealth, Jamaica is a land of extremes. On the northern coast—home to tourism—and in the suburbs of Kingston, wealthy Jamaicans live in first-rate housing, visit shopping centers featuring the best imported goods, and enjoy an elevated standard of living. Living in such suburbs as Cherry Gardens, Arcadia Gardens, and Forest Hills, the wealthy send their children to private schools and to universities abroad, and employ private security forces. Yet not far from these wealthy enclaves a significant number of poor Jamaicans live in squalor, with poor housing, limited food supply, and inadequate access to clean water, quality health care, or education. Kingston's poor congregate in the slum districts of Trench Town, Jones Town, and Denham Town, where water supplies are often polluted and violent youth gangs clash with police for control of the streets.  The wealth is distributed largely along racial lines, reflecting Jamaica's slave-plantation heritage. The descendants of black slaves tend to be among the poorest classes in Jamaica, while white and mixed-race descendants of plantation owners and traders tend to be better off.


Jamaica's rural poor also face difficult circumstances, for many workers must try to grow their own crops or participate in the informal economy —in some cases, the drug trade—in order to survive. Both the rural and urban poor have suffered from the long decline in the quality of social services provided to Jamaicans.     

Political/religious geography of Jamaica

JAMAICAN RELIGION

Christianity, in its various denominations, some indigenous, is the religion of the vast majority of Jamaicans. There are, however, other religions observed and practiced in Jamaica by relatively smaller numbers of people, such as Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism.

RASTAFARI also spelled Ras Tafari , religious and political movement, begun in Jamaica in the 1930s and adopted by many groups around the globe, that combines Protestant Christianity, mysticism, and a pan-African political consciousness. Rastafari “livity,” or the principle of balanced lifestyle, includes the wearing of long hair locked in its natural, uncombed state, dressing in the colours of red, green, gold, and black (which symbolize the life force of blood, herbs, royalty, and Africanness), and eating an “I-tal” (natural, vegetarian) diet. Religious rituals include prayer services, the smoking of ganja (marijuana) to achieve better “itation” (meditation) with Jah, and “bingis” (all-night drumming ceremonies). Rastafari plays a large role in Jamaican culture.

According to the most recent census (2011), the population's religious affiliation consists of Church of God, 21%; Seventh-day Adventist, 9%; Pentecostal, 7.6%; Baptist, 9%; Anglican, 5.5%; Roman Catholic, 4%; United Church, 2%; Methodist, 2%; Jehovah's Witnesses, 2%; Moravian, 1%; Brethren, 1%; unstated, 3%; and "other," 10%. The category "other" includes 24,020 Rastafarians, an estimated 5,000 Muslims, 1,453 Hindus, approximately 350 Jews, and 279 Baha'is. The census reported that 21% claimed no religious affiliation.


JAMAICAN POLITICS

Government Type: Constitutional parliamentary democracy.
Branches: Executive--Governor General, prime minister, cabinet.
                 Legislative--bicameral Parliament Judicial--Court of Appeal and courts of original jurisdiction.

Political parties: People's National Party (PNP), Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), National Democratic Movement (NDM), New Nation Coalition (NNC) Suffrage: Universal at 18.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS Jamaica's political system is stable. However, the country's serious economic problems have exacerbated social problems and are the subject of political debate. High unemployment--averaging at least 12.0%--rampant underemployment, growing debt, and high interest rates are the most challenging economic problems. Violent crime is a serious problem, particularly in Kingston. The two major political parties have historical links with the two largest trade unions--the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), and the People's National Party with the National Workers Union (NWU).


JAMAICAN LANGUAGE 

The official language of Jamaica is English. Jamaicans primarily speak an English-African Creole language known as Jamaican Patois, which has become known widely through the spread of Reggae music. Jamaican Patois was formed from a base of mainly English words with elements of re-formed grammar, together with a little vocabulary from African languages and Native American words.

Physical Geography of Jamaica

Natural Landscape!!

Jamaica is a Caribbean Island Country and is part of the Greater Antilles of the West Indies. It is a Caribbean island located South of Cuba and West of Haitis. It is mostly mountains with narrow discontinuous coastal plains. It is comprised of Coastal Lowlands, Limestone Plateaus, Blue Mountains, and a group of volcanic hills in the east. There are Natural Harbors along the long, irregular coastline. Native Americans named the island for its "Thermal Springs", Xaymaca (Jamaica), which means 'Isle of Springs.

Climate and Weather!!

Jamaica is in the tropical climate region. The average annual temperature is 80* F. Extreme heat and humidity is moderate do to northeastern trade winds that occur at frequent intervals.

 

The temperatures in plateaus and mountains are much lesser.  The country of Jamaica is prone to severe earthquakes, however there no report of any volcanic activity. Rainfall is plenty in this area and is subject to hurricanes in late Summer and early Autumn 

Water Sources!!

The water in Jamaica is managed by the National Water Commission (NWC).  Much of the water sources are not located close to major centers of water use, therefore water has to be transported to some areas.  There are watersheds that consists of over 100 streams and rivers.  The Mona Reservoir and the Hermitage Reservoir host much of the water for use.  Groundwater is captured in limestone and alluvial aquifers. Rivers provide supply for the rural highlands and coastal lowlands. The NWC provides 78% of freshwater resources.