Jamaica

Jamaica
 * Jamaica is an island, the third largest , located in the Caribbean Sea. It is south of Cuba, and West of Hispaniola. Neighboring countries include Haiti and Dominican Republic. Most of Jamaica is a limestone plateau with an elevation of approximately 460 meters. The island’s interior is very mountainous with peaks over 2100 meters tall. You can find the blue mountains which a


 * The interior of the island is largely mountainous, and peaks of over 2,100 m (7,000 ft) are found in the Blue Mountains, which dominate the eastern part of the island; the highest point on the island is Blue Mountain Peak, at 2,256 m (7,402 ft) above sea level.


 * The coastal plains are largely alluvial, and the largest plains areas lie along the south coast. The island has numerous interior valleys. There are many rivers, but most are small, with rapids and falls that make navigation virtually impossible for any distance.


 * Jamaica’s government is classifies as parliamentary democracy based on representational system of government.
 * Jamaica government is known as a parliamentary democracy. Jamaica government is a constitutional monarchy and as a unitary state is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Jamaican constitution was based on the Westminster and Whitehall System of Government, (citizens of a country choose the individuals that govern the people).


 * Prime Minister that is currently in power Bruce Golding.

Below are the names of the parishes with their capitals in parentheses: 1.Clarendon (May Pen) 2.Hanover (Lucea) 3.Kingston (Kingston) 4.Manchester (Mandeville) 5.Portland (Port Antonio) 6.Saint Andrew (Half Way Tree) 7.Saint Ann (Saint Ann's Bay) 8.Saint Catherine (Spanish Town) 9.Saint Elizabeth (Black River) 10.Saint James (Montego Bay) 11.Saint Mary (Port Maria) 12.Saint Thomas (Morant Bay) 13.Trelawny (Falmouth) 14.Westmoreland (Savanna-la-Mar) The scenery and weather are similar across the island.
 * Jamaica is divided in to three counties with 14 parishes. The 3 counties are: Surrey, Middlesex and Cornwall.

Here is a map of the country. http://jamaican-me-crazy.wikispaces.com/Geography
 * The North and West Coasts of Jamaica is where most of the tourist to Jamaica vacation. These coasts have a fairly flat coastline with long sandy beaches. This region is very popular for these beaches. There are also fishing villages all over the coasts of Jamaica
 * The middle of the island is mainly Mountainous. Farms are prevalent in the interior of Jamaica.
 * The middle of the island is mainly Mountainous. Farms are prevalent in the interior of Jamaica.

Here is a flag of the Country. []


 * The population of Jamaica is 2,868,380 since July 2011.


 * Jamaica is a developing country. It has low birth rates and higher death rates.

> They have a comb-like horn starting at the top of their head and running all the way down to their tails. The outer skin is scaly and tightly muscular and has hints of yellow/dark-green in different > locations all over it. It has a yellow/orange sensor under its neck which retracts inward and is used to test the temperature and to feel out its environment.
 * Jamaica has a tropical climate.On the whole, Jamaica's climate has no extremes, especially since the surrounding sea has a moderating effect on the weather, and the variety of climate is considered healthy and beneficial.
 * The annual rate of production was relatively low at Jamaica. Gross primary production varied from 0.08 g C/m2/day to 0.52 g C/m2/day. Net primary production did not exceed 0.28 g C/m2/day (range, 0.03-0.28 g C/m2/day). At Jamaica, short-term peaks in the late spring and fall alternated with periods of relatively low productivity during the summer and winter
 * Herbivores: The Jamaican Iguana is the most common herbivore found through out Jamaica. They can grow to a length of up to 16 centimeters. They are green/brown in colour with a long tail and can camouflage themselves to match their surroundings. This is essential in protecting them from their predators.
 * Omnivores on the island include The Cat island slider is a species of fresh water turtle in the Emydidae family. It is found in the Bahamas and Jamaica.
 * The carnivores in Jamaica includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
 * The Spider Monkey represents the new world monkeys which are found in the tropical rain and deciduous forests of the western hemisphere. Also Sloths are unique creatures of the rainforest; it is hard to imagine them living anywhere else, making them indicator species.
 * Jamaican breadfruit is the keystone species in traditional agro forestry systems, creating a lush over story that shelters myriad useful plants including yams, kava, noni, Jamaican bananas and some cash crops.
 * Jamaican Iguana is a native species to Jamaica. The outer skin is scaly and tightly muscular and has hints of yellow/dark-green in different locations all over it. It has a yellow/orange sensor under its neck which retracts inward and is used to test the temperature and to feel out its environment.
 * Nonnative species include the Indian mongoose ,which grows wild, has been naturalized in Jamaica, where it has been carried to from Indian in the days of the plantations.

What are some endangered species ? Extinct Species ?
 * The Jamaican giant swallowtail butterfly is the largest butterfly in the Americas and they can grow up to three inches with a wingspan of six inches. The swallowtail butterfly differs from other butterflies in different anatomical traits such as their unique organ they possess in the back of their heads as caterpillars. The swallowtail is now only found in two isolated populations in Jamaica. The main threats to these butterflies include loss of habitat and commercial collecting
 * The Jamaican Iguana is on the world endangered species list as the adult population is thought to be below 200. Discoveries have been made that there were at least fifteen Iguanas remaining in the central and western sections of the Hellshire Hills and two active nesting sites in Jamaica. They were no longer present elsewhere, as a result of charcoal burning by locals which had destroyed a large part of their natural habitat in the north-eastern section


 * The Jamaican Boa or Yellow Snake is black and yellow in coloration. Its reported sightings of these snakes are up to 3 meters in length have been made.The extinction of these snakes include deforestation and development. Their destruction also comes from individuals who kill them from fear that they are dangerous, being misinformed, because they are not even poisonous.
 * The Growth Rate of Jamaica is -1.1% as of 2010.
 * Jamaica’s doubling time is 39 years . Jamaica’s doubling time is slower than the world’s average of (54 yrs).
 * Jamaica’s birth rate is 18 - 22 per 1000. The death rate is 5 -6 per 1000. The net migration rate was -7.4 migrants per 1,000 population, amounting to a loss of 19,000 people.

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 * As you can see the elderly die off while the young replace them, and the mid- ages stay persistent in population.
 * Jamaica is an intermediate stage in its demographic transition. The population has been below one percent since 1998.
 * Jamaica has family planning called Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA) it was established to provide cost effective family planning services to the less fortunate. It is effective and,Family Medical Centre is already seeing tangible proof of their impact on sexual and reproductive health in Western Jamaica.

the Nation’s deteriorating environment and awareness of forestry’s potential role in ameliorating some of the adverse effects. Recognizing the need to revise and bring the forest policy in line with the renewed environmental dimension, two policy statements were prepared with assistance from the UNDP/FAO-funded JAM/82/006 project. One policy statement was on forestry and the other was on soil conservation as part of UNDP’s support in strengthening the Department of Forestry and Soil Conservation as  it was then known. Peace River Bogue Hyde Hall Mountain Troja Kildare Shuna Cedar Valley Jericho Block St. Faith's Montego Bay Marine Park Industry Field-Rowkamp
 * Among the variety of terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems are dry and wet limestone forests, rainforest, riparian woodland, wetlands, caves, rivers, sea grass beds and coral reefs. The biodiversity is indicated by a number five ranking amongst countries worldwide.
 * Indicate five species that are extinct and/or endangered or threatened in Jamaica are ;Jamaican monkey, Jamaican Wood Rail, Oryzomys antillarum, sborn's Key Mouse, Urania sloanus.
 * These species are endangered due to habitat loss and predation.
 * Introduced species and their impact ?
 * Jamaica has been grappling with the lionfish, which was identified here in 2006, and which, if left unchecked, could devastate local fish stocks in a relatively short time. One lionfish may eat up to 20 juvenile fish per day, feeding on a variety of marine species including the parrot fish, snapper, wrass, damsel fish, crabs, shrimps, and other crustaceans.
 * The Small Indian Mongoose is an introduced species in Jamaica. It is believed to have contributed to the possible extinction of two of Jamaica's endemic birds, the Jamaica Petrel and Jamaican Paruraque . It is also a threat to the endemic Jamaican Iguana.
 * There is a legislation protecting wildlife in Jamaica. Under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act, the penalty for capturing these animals, harming them or having any part of them in one’s possession, living or dead, is $100,000 and/or a prison term of up to two years
 * The top three resources in Jamaica are the following ; bauxite, gypsum and limestone.
 * The number one export from Jamaica is sugar.
 * The number one import in Jamaica is machinery and transportation equipment.
 * The decade of the 1980s was marked by a resurgence of interest to protect and conserve
 * Rangelands are managed by a shift in plant composition required on most rangelands if CO2 enrichment is to lead to a sustained increase in plant productivity.
 * National Parks:


 * Agriculture is the basic industry of Jamaica. As the island possesses a wide variety of soil and climate, nearly every tropical product can be grown here. The chief economic crops are sugar, bananas, citrus, cocoa and coconuts, each of which is dealt with below in detail. Not one of the major crops of the island is indigenous. Sugar cane, coconut, rice and ginger were introduced into the island from Far Eastern countries, bananas from the Canary Islands, cocoa from South America, limes and mangoes from India, the breadfruit from Tahiti and ackee from Africa.
 * Crops in Jamaica are protected using endosulfan or a scent trap to protect crops from pests.
 * Most Jamaicans get the resources for consumption by growing their fruits and vegetables. They consume more veggies and fruits than meats. Also local shops are open for food resources.
 * Access to water supply via house connections was available to approximately 65% of the population. The remaining 35% of the population were supplied through a variety of means: standpipe, rainwater collection systems, water trucks, wayside tanks, community catchment tanks.
 * Annual water withdrawal in 1993 was estimated in 928 million m3 and the agricultural sector was the major user of water (75%). The other major water users were domestic water supply 17%, industry 7%, and tourism 1%. About 92% of the water was withdrawn from groundwater sources and the remainder from surface water.Only 11% of the surface water and 25% of groundwater of the exploitable water resources are currently utilized. The National Water Commission provides water to various supply systems from wells, rivers, and springs.

By: Bria Mills