Jamaican

Jamaican

Coordinates: 18°10′57″N 77°19′18″W / 18.1823878°N 77.3217773°W / 18.1823878; -77.3217773

Jamaica
Motto: "Out of Many, One People"
Anthem: "Jamaica, Land We Love"
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Royal anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Capital
(and largest city)
Kingston
Official languages English
National language Jamaican Patois (de facto)
Demonym Jamaican
Government Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy
- Monarch Elizabeth II
- Governor-General Patrick Allen
- Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller
Legislature Parliament
- Upper house Senate
- Lower house House of Representatives
Independence
- from the United Kingdom 6 August 1962
Area
- Total 10,991 km2 (166th)
4,244 sq mi
- Water (%) 1.5
Population
- July 2012 estimate 2,889,187 (139th)
- Density 252/km2 (49th)
656/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2011 estimate
- Total $24.750 billion
- Per capita $9,029
GDP (nominal) 2011 estimate
- Total $14.807 billion
- Per capita $5,402
Gini (2004) 45.5 (medium)
HDI (2010) 0.688 (high) (80th)
Currency Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Time zone (UTC-5)
Drives on the left
Calling code +1-876
ISO 3166 code JM
Internet TLD .jm

Jamaica (i/dʒəˈmeɪkə/), is the 4th largest island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 mi) in length, up to 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width, and 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi) in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometres (119 mi) west of Hispaniola, the island containing the nation-states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica is the 5th largest island country in the Caribbean. The indigenous people, the Taíno, called it Xaymaca in Arawakan. meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs".

Once a Spanish possession known as Santiago, in 1655 it came under the rule of England (later Great Britain), and was called Jamaica. It achieved full independence from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962. With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Kingston is the country's largest city, with a population of 937,700, and its capital. Jamaica has a large diaspora around the world consisting of Jamaican citizens migrating from the country.

Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm with Elizabeth II as Queen of Jamaica and head of state. Her appointed representative in the country is the Governor-General of Jamaica, currently Sir Patrick Allen. The head of government and Prime Minister of Jamaica is currently Portia Simpson-Miller. Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with legislative power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica, consisting of an appointed Senate and a directly elected House of Representatives.

Read more about Jamaican:  Government and Politics, Geography and Environment, Religion, Culture, Sport, Education, Economy

Famous quotes containing the word jamaican:

    When a Jamaican is born of a black woman and some English or Scotsman, the black mother is literally and figuratively kept out of sight as far as possible, but no one is allowed to forget that white father, however questionable the circumstances of birth.
    Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)