Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, comprising the third-largest island of the

Greater Antilles. The island has 10,990 square kilometers. With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the
third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas (after the United States and Canada), and
the fourth most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the country's capital and largest city.
Jamaicans are of predominately African descent.
The indigenous people, the Taíno, called it Xaymaca in Arawakan, meaning the "Land of Wood and
Water" or the "Land of Springs".
Flora and fauna
Jamaica's climate is tropical, supporting diverse ecosystems with a wealth of plants and animals.
Jamaica's plant life has changed considerably over the centuries.

Language

Jamaica is regarded as a bilingual country, with two major languages in use by the population. The
official language is Jamaican Standard English (JSE), which is "used in all domains of public life",
including the government, the legal system, the media, and education. However, the primary spoken
language is an English-based creole called Jamaican Patois (or Patwa).

Religion

Christianity is the largest religion practiced in Jamaica. Protestants form majority in the country and
there's a small Roman Catholic minority. According to the 2001 census, the country's largest
denominations are the Church of God (24% of the population), 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%)

Jamaican Dollar

The dollar has been the currency of Jamaica since 1969. It is often abbreviated "J$", the J serving to
distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.

Independence of Jamaica

The Colony of Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom on August 6 1962. In Jamaica,
this date is celebrated as Independence Day, a national holiday.
Interesting Facts about Jamaica

Small Snake Population

There are very few snakes on the island of Jamaica. The mongoose was imported to Jamaica to rid
the cane fields of rats in 1872. As an added benefit, the mongoose has killed off almost the entire
population of snakes. So running across a snake is a rare occurrence in Jamaica.

Voodoo

African slaves imported to Jamaica brought their own form of religion, Obeahism. Obeahism is a
form of voodoo that is still practiced on the island. However, it is kept quiet, since the practice of
Obeahism is punishable by death. People who practice this form of voodoo believe that the Obeah
man can use evil spirits to bring good or bad luck to others.

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum

Rum is the national drink of Jamaica. Here rum is mixed with just about any other beverage. Try rum
and coconut water for a very special island drink

Bond, James Bond

British writer, Ian Fleming is famous for his 007 James Bond character. After designing his dream
home, Ian Fleming choose to have it built in Jamaica and name it Goldeneye. In Jamaica, he wrote
ten of his world renowned James Bond spy thrillers.

Olympic Winners

In 1988, Jamaica became the first tropical country to enter a Winter Olympic event. It was the bobsled
event. The movie, Cool Runnings, tells the story of the Jamaica’s first foray in to the Winter
Olympics. Only the United States has won more Olympic and World medals than Jamaica.

Flags of the World

Jamaica is one of only two countries in the world that has no colors in common with the flag of the
United States of America. The other country is Mauritania (green and yellow). Libya used to have a
solid green flag but has since changed it to include red and white. The Jamaican flag is green, yellow,
and black. Two yellow stripes intersect in an X with green filling in the top and bottom and black on
either side.

Orchids Everywhere

Over 200 species of Orchids grow wild on the island of Jamaica. 73 of the species are unique to
Jamaica. There are a 1,000 species of trees and 500 species of ferns. Jamaica is the best place to see
wild flora and fauna.