- Listen to
live radio broadcasts on (power106 FM) from
Check out a fantastic
site dedicated to the preservation of Jamaica's traditional music.
- Local Newspapers Online -
- click on logo to access newspaper -
Interactive Map
& Additional
Info
Official Name Jamaica
Motto Out of Many One People
Location Latitude between 18 degree 15'
north. Longitude between 77 degree 30' west. Area 10,991 km²
4,244 sq mi ....
more Boundary
Located in the Caribbean Sea south of Cuba.. more
Climate Tropical climate, hot to
temperate interior : Seasonal rains in May &
October, heavy rains in summer months 'hurrican
season' (June - Sept.) Temp : varies very little
between 88 °F (31 °C) and 71 °F (22 °C) at the coast
though mountain temperatures can be considerably
lower ....
more Terraine Interior mountains and
plateaus cover much of Jamaica's length, and nearly
half of the island's surface is more than 1,000 feet
(300 metres) above sea level...
more
Capital Kingston Population Total estimated population as
of July 2005 - 2,651,000. Official Language English
The island - discovered by
Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by
the Spanish early in the 16th century. The
native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica
for centuries, were gradually exterminated.
England seized the island in 1655 and a
plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and
coffee - was established. Jamaica
gradually obtained increasing independence from
Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British
Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of
the West Indies. Jamaica gained full
independence when it withdrew from the
federation in 1962.
Jamaica has been a stable
democracy since its independence in 1962, with
free expression of opinion, a free press and
well-established traditions of democratic
participation. In spite of modest long-term
growth, Jamaica has made substantial progress in
poverty reduction since it began monitoring
living conditions in 1988.
(Source)
Ever since
Errol Flynn cavorted here with his Hollywood
pals in the 1930s and '40s, travelers have
regarded Jamaica as one of the most alluring of the Caribbean
islands. Its beaches, mountains
and carnal red sunsets regularly appear in the
sort of tourist brochures that promise paradise.
Unlike other nearby islands, it caters to everyone from beach
bums to newlyweds: you can choose a private villa with your own
secluded beach; laugh your vacation away at a party-hearty
resort; or throw yourself into the thick of the island's life while experiencing
the three R's: reggae, reefers and rum.
(Source)
CLICK HERE to see islands that surround Jamaica in the Caribbean
Videos*
"Life and Debt is that rare breed of documentary which
succeeds in both educating and informing its viewers on a complex topic
while also entertaining them from start to finish...."
"...
Sadly, for most Jamaicans, the paradise tourists enjoy is
more like a living hell for those who live in it. Using individual
interviews and cases the filmmakers weave a damning portrait of the
consequences of Free Trade, structural adjustment and other notions of
development imposed from outside the country and sold as being in the
best interests of Jamaica and its people...
Aria would like to introduce you to Oliver
Samuels, one of Jamaica's premiere comedians who made it very big in
Jamaica in the 1990's in his show "Oliver at Large" where
he poked fun at class relations in Jamaica. Nowadays,
Oliver is large all over the world. And... Oh... oh... have to
add that this celebrity did spend a day at Aria's house in New
York... woohoo! Here are clips from his very first show...
Have ideas for things that
could be added to personalise the site? Just Click on the message
in a bottle and tell us all about it... Or just send a
howdy do.
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