Overview
Known for its strong sense of self identity expressed through its music, food and rich cultural mix, Jamaica's influence extends far beyond its shores. With luminaries such as the black nationalist Marcus Garvey and musician Bob Marley, Jamaicans are proud of their cultural and religious heritage. Jamaicans have migrated in significant numbers to the United States, Canada and Britain and their music stars are known around the globe.
Map
Facts
| Full name | Jamaica |
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| Population: | 2.7 million (UN, 2009) |
| Area: | 10,991 sq km (4,243 sq miles) |
| Major language: | English (official), English patois |
| Major religion: | Christianity |
| Life expectancy: | 68 years (men), 75 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit: | 1 Jamaican dollar = 100 cents |
| Main exports: | Bauxite, alumina, garments, sugar, bananas, rum |
| GNI per capita | US $4,870 (World Bank, 2008) |
| Internet domain: | .jm |
| International dialling code: | + 1876 |
News
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Sprinter Bolt adopts a cheetah02 Nov 09 | AfricaThe Jamaican sprinter is helping to launch a conservation campaign run by German charity the Zeitz Foundation. During his trip, he has already impressed local children with his football skills, and become an honorary Maasai warrior.
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Man cleared of music event death27 Oct 09 | EnglandBraham's friend Dwayne Haughton, a Jamaican national, had also attended the party at the Multicultural Centre and was originally charged with murdering Miss Derby, the jury heard during the trial. Mr Haughton, whose fingerprints were on the bullet cartridge found on the floor of the centre, was...
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Your stories: 'Education gives women a voice'14 Oct 09 | World
Angella, Jamaica Education is the best asset anyone would ever choose to acquire. This girl's determination has inspired me to an extent that I will endeavour to repeat her story to children that have all that it takes to acquire knowledge but don't utilise the chance.
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Saving world with Eigg and chips09 Oct 09 | Highlands and IslandsThen the new population of Eigg picked, through their clan chief, the wrong side in the 1745 Jacobite Rising, meaning some islanders were taken to London to die in prison and others transported to Jamaica as slaves. Clearances emptied large parts of Eigg, and by the time Keith Schellenberg took...
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Fans celebrate after Bolt's win17 Aug 09Fans in Jamaica celebrated after Usain Bolt broke the world record for the men's 100m sprint.
Watch " Fans celebrate after Bolt's win " now -
Jamaica plane hijacker surrenders20 Apr 09A gunman who hijacked a passenger plane in Montego Bay, Jamaica, has surrendered after police and soldiers boarded the jet, say officials. Six crew members held hostage by the man were released unharmed.
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Gunman holds up Jamaica aircraft20 Apr 09A man is holding six crew members hostage on a CanJet aircraft in Montego Bay, reports say.
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Mother faces tough decision13 Feb 09Failed asylum seeker Tamica Wisdom who lives in Manchester has an agonising choice over her six-year-old son when she is deported back to Jamaica.
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Praise for Jamaica youth work21 Jan 09A County Durham youth group set up to boost the confidence of youngsters has won praise for its work in Jamaica.
Watch " Praise for Jamaica youth work " now
Sport
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Sheff Wed 1-2 QPR07 Nov 09 | ChampionshipHowever, the hosts drew level when Potter's cross found Johnson and the Jamaica international's shot sneaked into the far corner. Luke Varney almost put the Owls ahead in the 24th minute following a fine solo run, but Radek Cerny managed to get a hand to his shot and tip it on to the near post.
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Bolt guru Mills ends Jamaica role06 Nov 09 | Athleticshas had a huge influence on Bolt's stellar career Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills is to step down after 22 years in charge of the Jamaican athletics team. Under Mills, the team has won 71 world championship and 33 Olympic medals.
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McCarthy recalled to Bafana squad05 Nov 09 | AfricanThe World Cup hosts continue their preparations for next year's finals with friendlies at home to Japan on 14 November and against Jamaica three days later. Ironically, McCarthy's recall comes at a time when he is struggling with Blackburn Rovers, for whom he has not started a league game since...
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Safa boss targets quarters02 Nov 09 | African
His first task is to rebuild Bafana Bafana's sagging morale in home matches against Japan on 14 November and against Jamaica three days later. "You...
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Johnson agrees new Owls contract30 Oct 09 | Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday winger Jermaine Johnson has 48 caps for Jamaica. Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Jermaine Johnson has agreed a contract extension, keeping him at Hillsborough until June 2011. The...
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Bolt bowls West Indies captain Gayle19 Oct 09The world's fastest man Usain Bolt clean bowls West Indies captain Chris Gayle in a charity match in Jamaica.
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Usain Bolt's message to Manchester United22 Aug 09Jamaica's 4 x 100m relay team are in high spirits talking to 5 live's Sonja McLaughlan, and Usain Bolt is confident United will win the Premier League.
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200m success for Bolt in Jamaica29 Jun 09200m Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown book their places at the World Championships with wins at the Jamaican National Track Championships.
Watch " 200m success for Bolt in Jamaica " now -
Flintoff is ready for 'test of character'10 Feb 09England all rounder Andrew Flintoff admits the team are flat following their dismal defeat in Jamaica but is confident they can bounce back for the second Test in the West Indies.
Listento " Flintoff is ready for 'test of character' " now -
England team unity a concern - Gooch08 Feb 09Former England captain Graham Gooch voices anxieties about the organisation and management of the England team following their innings defeat by West Indies in the first Test in Jamaica.
Listento " England team unity a concern - Gooch " now
Around the web
News From Other Sources
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An adventure out of the storybooks07 Nov 09 | Sydney Morning Herald
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Bolt's coach Mills quits post of national team07 Nov 09 | People's Daily Online
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Stimulus for tech and telecom $3B, but jobs still07 Nov 09 | Computerworld
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Bolt's coach Mills resigns as head of Jamaican06 Nov 09 | France24
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Jamaican Company Expands for Calcium Carbonate06 Nov 09 | Rock Products
Weather
Weather for Kingston
| Saturday | Sunday | Monday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |  light showers |  heavy showers | heavy showers |
| Max Temperature | Max:29°C/84°F | Max:30°C/86°F | Max:30°C/86°F |
| Min Temperature | Min:23°C/73°F | Min:23°C/73°F | Min:23°C/73°F |
BBC iPlayer
Radio
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The Strand - The Strand - Tuesday 3rd NovemberThe Strand - Tuesday 3rd November 2009, 03 Nov 09Made in Jamaica Described by aclaimed film director Wim Wenders as "a true masterpiece…the ultimate reference about reggae",...
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Late Junction - Verity SharpVerity Sharp, 06 Nov 09Album: Chapters F-IRE CD 30 00:30 Durão: Masso a Ticerto Eduardo Durão Timbila Ensemble Album: Timbila Naxos World 76015 2 00:35 Gilzene: Jammin’ Gilzene and the Blue Light Mento Band Album: Sweet Sweet Jamaica World Village Promo (Segue) 00:39 Trad arr.
Listento " Late Junction - Verity Sharp " now -
World Routes - 1. WOMEX 20091. WOMEX 2009, 07 Nov 09Gilzene: Sweet Sweet Jamaica Gilzene and the Blue Light Mento Band Recorded at the WOMEX Expo, Copenhagen, October 2009 Arr. Gilzene: Come back Liza Gilzene and the Blue Light Mento Band Recorded at the WOMEX Expo, Copenhagen, October 2009 Victor Démé Victor Démé (rhythm...
Listento " World Routes - 1. WOMEX 2009 " now
Knowledge
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Regions, territories: Turks and Caicos IslandsCountry profiles
Once a dependency of Jamaica, the Turks and Caicos Islands became a crown colony upon Jamaican independence in 1962. The original inhabitants were Taino indians; later arrivals included slaves, brought from Africa to work on cotton plantations.
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Radio 4 Empire - The West Indies and SugarRadio 4 Empire
Five years later, Jamaica was seized taken from the Spanish. This period was almost exclusively supported by Charles I.
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History - Slavery and Economy in BarbadosHistory
The Royal African Company then established offices in Jamaica and Barbados, from where slaves were re-exported, to Mexico in the case of the Jamaican office and to Venezuela from Barbados. Oloudah Equiano gives a moving description of the Middle Passage and his arrival as a captured African in...
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Radio 4 Empire - 1649: Barbados and Civil War atRadio 4 Empire
So Cromwell's Admiral Penn and General Venables instead attacked the weak, and at that time, unimportant island of Jamaica. The Spanish fled but not before freeing all their slaves, the Maroons, who took to the hills and they and their descendants continued to attack the British settlers until well...
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History - Historic Figures: Mary Seacole (1805 -History
Mary Jane Grant was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805. Her father was a Scottish soldier, and her mother a Jamaican.
Blogs
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The Skids From Fame29 Apr 09 | Stuart Bailie - Stuart Bailie
To celebrate the achievement in 1964, he arranged a motorcade ride back to her shack in Tivoli, Jamaica. When the singer reached her home, her mother came out and curtsied.
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Michael Vaughan on England cricket....30 Jan 09 | Victoria Derbyshire - Victoria Derbyshire's Blog
2009 is still in its infancy but English cricket has had a difficult year so far: Pieterson walked as captain before he was pushed, the team is currently in the West Indies without a coach, and as next week's first test reaches its climax in Jamaica, twenty England players will be included in the...
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Top 10 worst Xmas songs15 Dec 08 | Ace - Ace and Vis Blog
Christmas In Jamaica" Weird concept for a xmas tune.
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Around the Caribbean in 46 hours16 Mar 07 | Adam Mountford - Test Match Special
One of our TMS commentators could have done with the assistance of David Blaine to help him escape from the nightmare of his journey from Jamaica to St Kitts. You may have noticed that our South African reporter Neil Manthorp was missing from our commentary team for the Australia v Scotland match -...
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St Kitts leaves a sweet taste in the mouth26 Mar 07 | Adam Mountford - Test Match Special
Although I'm in better shape than TMS commentator Neil Manthorp - you may have read in my blog last week about Neil's 46-hour trip from Montego Bay in Jamaica to here in St Kitts via nine islands. Well it's taking him two days to go from St Kitts to Guyana - a journey that would be a few hours if...
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