Parliamentary democracy
Third-largest island in the Caribbean
A member of the British Commonwealth.
Island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Capital: Kingston
Jamaica's chief port
Language: An unique version of English which has been labeled "."
Hear
and learn to speak Jamaican
Currency: (JMD)
Animals
Jamaica has more than 200 species of birds.
The (Doctor Bird -Jamaica's National Bird)
The "Doctor Bird" lives only in Jamaica and is one of the
most outstanding of all the species of Humming Birds. Also abundant
are parrots, cuckoos, and .
There are nine species of snakes known in Jamaica; all of them are
non-poisonous. The largest is the , or Yellow Snake. Also abundant are bats, mongooses, frogs,
lizards, and crocodiles.
The Hellshire Hills provide the last known habitat for the
rediscovered (1990) Jamaican Iguana.
(large brown rodent)
The only endemic terrestrial mammal, the Hutia or Indian Coney.
The lives in holes in the ground and feeds on plants.
The . One of the larger crocodilian species.
There are over . The most
famous is the one of the in the world with a forewing size of 3 inches.
Explorers
Climate
Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Land
The
island of Jamaica consist of mountains inland to beautiful
beaches on the coast. In the east is the most rugged area and the
highest elevations. The Blue Mountains rise to 7,402 feet at , the island's highest point.
Plants
National Flower
A beautiful blue flower whose wood is used for propeller shaft bearings.
National Fruit, the
Three thousand species of plants grow on the Jamaican island, and 27
percent of them are found nowhere else on Earth. Agriculture
products: sugarcane, bananas, ,
citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk.
Read
Prints Available at AllPosters
Jamaica may have no snow but they do have a bobsleigh team.
Five Jamaican folklore stories. These stories orginated in West Africa.
Reggae is the name of the Jamaican music.
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Fun Facts
The Coconut Palm is not native to Jamaica. Nor are sugar cane,
bananas, mangoes, breadfruit or bamboo. They were all brought to the
island at various stages in its history. The original Arawak inhabitants lived mainly on corn, fish and yams.
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