Jamaica

== =Geographical Profile/ Political Information=

**Physical features:** Primarily of volcanic origin, the lush island features a mountain ridge that peaks at Blue Mountain which is 7,402 feet high. Many white-sand beaches and clear seas ring the island mountainous tropical island; Blue Mountains (so called because of the haze over them) . The Jamaican family includes a close-knit web of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. . Families are close and provide both emotional and economic support to its members. . The family is the most important group a person belongs to, and as such, it the group with whom a person spends most of his/her time developing and maintaining cordial relations
 * Relative**: [|Jamaica] is part of the Greater Antilles. Its located in the Caribbean Sea at latitude of 18 degrees north and a longitude of 78 degrees west (of the capital, Kingston). It is about 1127 km (700 miles) south of Miami, Florida, USA, and 145km (90 miles) south of Cuba, its nearest neighbor. The [|island] has an area of11453 sq km (4411 sq miles). It is 235 km (146 miles) long from east to west, and 82 km (51 miles) across at its broadest point, from St Ann’s Bay in the north to Portland Point in the south.
 * Distance from Lancaster:** 1518.1 miles – from Lancaster Jamaica is north west.
 * Climate:** In winter, the average temperature is 75 degrees; in summer it's about 80. Year-round, temperatures are usually five to 10 degrees cooler in the mountain. Typically sunny year-round, Jamaica has rainy months in May, June, September and October.
 * Cultural characteristics:**
 * Food:** A spicy, colorful mix of cuisine includes ackee and saltfish; rice and peas; jerk chicken, fish and pork; curried goat; pepperpot soup; roasted yams,; banana fritters; salads; fruits and exotic desserts.
 * The Family**
 * Traditions:** The most popular Jamaican traditions are for most national holidays, such as Christmas cake, Sorrel, pudding at Christmas time, Fried fish, lent at Easter time and other national holidays. Rituals such as the famed Nine Night after the death of a loved one are a popular Jamaican tradition that characterizes the Jamaican culture.
 * Government:** It has a bicameral Parliament made up of a 21-member Senate and a 60-member House of Representatives. The prime minister is the head of government. The head of state is the British monarch, as represented by the governor-general. The country has two main political parties: the Jamaica Labor party (JLP) generally favors private enterprise, while the People's National party (PNP) advocates a moderate socialism. Administratively, the country is divided into 14 parishes.
 * Global organization: ** Gross national income per capita (PPP international $) 7,050 Life expectancy at birth m/f (year) 69/75 Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003) 64/66 Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births) 32 Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population) 224/134 Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006) 240 Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006) 5.1
 * Prime minister:** Bruce Golding. Governor Gen. Patrick Linton ALLEN

=Economic Information=
 * Currency**: The Jamaican dollar is divided into 100 cents. As of May 2005, the exchange rate was 61.040 Jamaican dollars to the US dollar.
 * Natural Resources:** Jamaica is known for three of its top natural resources, which are bauxite, gypsum and limestone. The United States, Canada and France are Jamaica's top major trading partners.
 * Agricultural Products:** sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks
 * Industries:** tourism ,bauxite/alumina,food processing, light manufactures,rum,cement,metal,paper,chemical products,telecommunications.
 * Imports**: food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials. The United States, Trinidad, and Tobago are the main imports.
 * Exports:** alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels. Jamaica exports goods to the United States, Canada, Netherlands, France, and Russia.
 * GDP**: $23.25 billion GDP per Capita $8,200
 * HDI:** 0.688-high
 * Unemployment Rate:** 14.5%

=Population Information= **Ethnic groups**: About 97% of the population is of partial or total African descent. This population is comprised of blacks, mulattos, and black-East Indians or black-Chinese.Other ethnic groups include East Indians (1.3%), Chinese (0.2%), Europeans (0.2%), and other (0.6%). **Chief religions**: Christianity is the largest religion practiced in Jamaica. The country's largest denominations are the Seventh-day Adventist Church (11%), Pentecostal (10%), Baptist (7%), Anglican (4%), Roman Catholic (2%), United Church (2%), Methodist (2%), Moravian (1%) and Plymouth Brethren (1%) **Main language**: English. However, Patois (Creole), a combination of English and some African languages, is spoken in rural areas and is used increasingly in urban areas
 * Current Population:** 2,699,617
 * Population Density:** (per sq km) 243
 * Age Distribution**: 0-14 years: 30.1%, 15-64 years: 62.3%, 65 years and over: 7.6%
 * Literacy rate:** 84% men, 91% women
 * Infant mortality rate:**14.6 deaths/ 1,000 live births
 * Life expectancy at age 1:**(under5, per 1,000 live births) 20

=Human rights Information= Jamaicans face challenges that are repeated among many of the world’s nations. In 2007, the Human Development Index published by the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) ranked Jamaica 101 out of 177 countries, situating the country in the medium Human Development category and on the lower end (second to Haiti) in the Caribbean. Crime and violence occur here in perennially alarming levels. Inner-city communities are invariably the most troubled by the presence of well-armed gangs. At the same time, citizens in these same communities have frequently made credible charges of unlawful lethal force by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Jamaica Defense Force, and they point to a record of police impunity. Jamaica continues to stand in solidarity with other nations in its commitment to respect and preserve human rights. This confirms Jamaica’s faith in fundamental rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women. Sexual acts between women are legal, by virtue of the absence of any reference to them in law. Sexual acts between men are punishable with up to ten years jail, although the law is seldom enforced between consenting adults. Jamaica has been described by human-rights groups as the most homophobic place on earth due to the hate speech a nd bias motivated crimes often directed at LGBT people. While the government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, there were serious problems in some areas, including unlawful killings committed by members of the security forces, abuse of detainees and prisoners by police and prison guards, poor prison and jail conditions, impunity for police who committed crimes, an overburdened judicial system and frequent lengthy delays in trials, violence and discrimination against women, trafficking in persons, and violence against person based on their suspected or known sexual orientation

=Environmental Information= The major environmental problems involve water quality and waste disposal. Coastal waters have been polluted by sewage, oil spills, and industrial wastes. Another major source of water pollution has been the mining of bauxite, which has contaminated the ground water with red-mud waste. Another environmental problem for Jamaica is land erosion and deforestation. Jamaica lies in the Caribbean ‘hurricane belt.’ Officially the hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30; August and September are peak months. A ‘rainy season’ starts in May or June and extends through November or December, with the heaviest rains in September and October. Rain can fall at any time of year, however, and normally comes in short, heavy showers, often followed by sun. Jamaica has battled many hurricanes and serious tropical storms. In Kingston, the people are suffering air pollution from the emissions in cars.

=Decision Statement=

After many thought about living in Jamaica or not, I concluded that I would not. I don't think Jamaica would meet my living expectations. Even though Jamaica is a beautiful island with many attractions I still would not want to live there. First of all Jamaica is over populated. Second, the island is dirty and dangerous at times.

Jamaica is way over populated. Having populated cities causes a lot of pollution and overcrowding In places. If I were to live on an island, I would want it to be clean and not so crowded. I wouldn’t want to see trash on the streets or beaches. I would also not like to live somewhere where driving a car would take double the time then it would normally.

Jamaica is also a dangerous island. Not so much in crimes but with weather. Living on an island you have to fear all the tropical storms that appear. Severe tropical storms are part of their everyday lives. I hate storms, so living here would not be a good idea. These storms produce strong winds and a lot of tornadoes. I would also have to always be prepared for a natural disaster. Overall, I would not like to live in Jamaica due to the over population and the dangerous features about the island.

= = =Works cited= "2009 Human Rights Report: Jamaica." //U.S Department of State//. Bureau of Public Affairs, 03/11/2010. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . LaKuelkerst, FiMichaelrst. "More information on Jamaica." //Amnesty International//. Amnesty International USA, 2008. Web. 29 Apr 2011. <-http://www.amnestyusa.org/all-countries/jamaica/page.do?id=1011177>. http://www.zazzle.com/jamaican_flag_poster-228807269164943909 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.map-world.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/world-map-jamaica.jpg&imgrefurl=http://qohauqin.blogspot.com/2011/05/negril-jamaica-map.html&usg=__XndXD2Amm3wBMoTfu00Qd7QobhQ=&h=345&w=450&sz=52&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=cv87XosOzNMPfM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=173&ei=HuvfTeLuBYPrgQfM4tjnCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bworld%2Band%2Bjamaica%2Bmap%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D894%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=453&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=72&ty=52&biw=1280&bih=894