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Jamaica

 Flag of Jamaica

Last reviewed: 05 August 2009

Country information

Map of Jamaica

JAMAICA TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 10,991 sq km
Population: 2.7 million (2007)
Capital City: Kingston (pop 652,000)
People: African 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, Chinese 0.2%, White 0.2%, Mixed 7.3%, Other 0.1%
Languages: English, Patois
Education: Mandatory and free up to age 16
Religions: Christian including Anglican, Baptist and other Protestant; Roman Catholic; Rastafarian,;Jewish
Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD) 150 JMD to the UK pound (August 2009)
Major Political Parties: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), People's National Party (PNP)
Government: Constitutional parliamentary democracy. Independence: 6 August 1962
Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth, represented by the Governor-General, The Most Hon Dr Patrick Allen
Prime Minister: The Hon Bruce Golding MP (JLP)
Foreign Minister: The Hon Dr Kenneth Baugh MP (JLP)

HEALTH

Birth Rate: 17.03 births/1,000 pop (2007)
Death Rate: 6.37 deaths/1,000 pop (2007)
Life expectancy: 74 years

HIV/AIDS

Adult prevalence rate: 1.5% (2007)

ECONOMY

Basic Economic Facts

GDP: (Purchasing Power Parity): US$20.67 billion (2007)
GDP (Official Exchange Rate):US$11.21 billion
Annual Growth: 2.6 % (2006, Government of Jamaica,)
Inflation: 16.8% (2007)
Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2007)
Major Industries: tourism, bauxite and alumina, textiles, food processing, light manufacturing, sugar, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, bananas.
Major Trading Partners: US, EU, UK, Canada, the CARICOM countries, Latin America, Japan

Key sectors in the economy are tourism and bauxite. Alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports. Agriculture also plays an important role. Remittances are also significant.

High interest rates and high levels of debt, increased foreign competition and a growing trade deficit as well as increasing food and oil prices present serious challenges.

Other challenges include a need for the sugar industry to diversify. Jamaica’s 'brain drain' where talented Jamaicans leave the country in search of a better life elsewhere continues.  High levels of violent crime and corruption continue to threaten Jamaica’s economic development.

Political constraints deter budget austerity and fears have been raised about Jamaica’s ability to meet its long-term debt obligations despite a record of it never having defaulted.  In August 2007 Jamaica was hit by Hurricane Dean, which led to four deaths and damage to infrastructure, housing and the farming community. Agricultural production was also disrupted, although not as severely as in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan struck the island.

HISTORY

Columbus landed in Jamaica on 4 May 1494 and found it occupied by Arawak Indians. He took possession in the name of Spain. The Arawaks had died out by the time an English expedition of 7,000 landed at Passage Fort on 10 May 1655. Most of the slaves the Spanish had imported from Africa remained in the interior using the opportunity to set up towns where they could live in freedom; they became known as the Maroons. In 1662 the people of Jamaica were given the rights of citizens of England and the right to make their own laws.

The People's National Party (PNP) was formed in 1938 under the leadership of Norman Manley, with the aim of establishing representative and responsible government for Jamaica within the Commonwealth. It is supported by the National Workers' Union to which it is affiliated. Alexander Bustamante formed the second major political party, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), in 1943. Like the PNP, the JLP derives support from Labour unions and affiliates to the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU). Jamaica became a member of the Federation of the West Indies in 1958 and self-governing in its internal affairs in 1959. As a result of a referendum in 1961, Jamaica withdrew from the Federation of the West Indies and became an independent sovereign country within the Commonwealth on 6 August 1962.


BBC News Country Timeline: Jamaica

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Jamaica has diplomatic relations with most nations and is a member of the United Nations and the Organisation of American States. In 2005 Jamaica was chair of the G77 UN grouping. Jamaica is an active member of the Commonwealth. It is also linked with the other countries of the English-speaking Caribbean through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and more broadly through the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)

Association of Caribbean States (ACS)

Relations with the UK

The UK and Jamaica have warm bilateral relations.

Under the British Government's International Strategic Priorities, principal British interests in Jamaica include: reducing the harm to the UK from international crime, including drug trafficking, people smuggling and money laundering; promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction underpinned by human rights, democracy, good governance and protection of the environment; managing migration and combating illegal immigration; and delivering high quality support for British nationals abroad, in normal times and in crises.

Drugs and Crime

Violent crime remains a major challenge to Jamaican stability, and has direct links to crime in the UK. The murder rate remains among the highest in the world (about 59 per 100,000). Jamaica is a major trans-shipment route for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe and faces a high rate of gang-related violence fuelled by drugs money. The UK provides substantial assistance to Jamaica’s law enforcement agencies.

Public sector corruption is an obstacle to effective governance in Jamaica, and the Jamaican police are sometimes criticised for excessive use of force. The Government, with international support, have instigated a series of reforms to the security sector but Jamaica's criminal justice system remains in need of further reform and funding.

Recent Inward Visits

Jamaican politicians, senior officials and business people are regular visitors to the UK.  Prime Minister The Hon Bruce Golding visited the UK in May 2008.

Outward Visits

In 2007 The Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport; Dr Kim Howells MP, Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Prescott MP; and Meg Munn MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Jamaica. Dr Howells visited again in January 2008.

In March 2008 Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Jamaica.

GEOGRAPHY

Jamaica is located in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba. Its terrain is mostly mountainous, with a narrow, discontinuous coastal plain. Its climate is tropical all year and more temperate inland

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

UK Development Assistance

Poverty reduction is the main focus of Britain's development assistance in Jamaica. The Department for International Development (DFID) have an aid programme for Jamaica worth in the region of £2.5 million a year. In addition, the UK also waives approximately £5-6m of Jamaican debt annually. Between 2008-2011 phase of programming, DFID will continue to promote safety, security and access to justice for all Jamaicans. Major projects include assistance to the programme to reform the Jamaican police force; assistance to community security initiatives and other programmes related to regional issues around economic growth, disaster risk reduction, HIV and AIDS and gender.

Department for International Development (DFID)

POLITICS

On 3 September 2007 the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won the General Election and its leader, Mr Bruce Golding, was sworn in as the country’s eighth Prime Minister on 11 September. He announced his new cabinet on 12 September. The JLP last held office from 1980 to 1989.

The main opposition party is the People's National Party (PNP) The PNP held office from February 1989 to September 2007, under Prime Minister P J Patterson for an unprecedented four terms between 1992 and 2006. Subsequently, Mrs Portia Simpson Miller served as Prime Minister from March 2006 until September 2007.

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Useful Links


Contacts

Bahamas

Address:

British High Commission
P O Box 575
28 Trafalgar Road
Kingston 10
Jamaica

Telephone:

(001) (876) 510 0700

Fax:

(001) (876) 511 5335 Consular

Office hours:

GMT:
Mon-Thurs: 1300-1800 / 1900-2130
Fri: 1300-1800

Local Time:
Mon-Thurs: 0800-1300 / 1400-1630
Fri: 0800-1300

Bahamas


Jamaica, Montego Bay, British Honorary Consulate


Jamaica