Jamaica is impossible to get to know in a couple of days. Tourists will need much more than a few days to enjoy this amazing island. Vacation in Jamaica is horseback riding, rafting, mountain biking, diving, rock climbing, snorkeling, or just a carefree pastime in a hammock with a cocktail to reggae music on the beach on the Caribbean Sea.
The island nation of Jamaica is located in the Caribbean Sea, 145 km south of Cuba and 191 km west of Haiti. The island of Jamaica is part of the Greater Antilles group. The total area of the country is 10,991 square kilometers.
The state of Jamaica includes the island of the same name, the Morant Keys archipelago and the Pedro Islands.
The central part of the island is dominated by mountains, while the coastal areas are plains. The highest peak is Blue Mountain, whose height reaches 2,256 meters.
Jamaica is located in the so-called “hurricane belt” of the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore the country is sometimes subjected to devastating storms.
Capital
Kingston is the capital of the state of Jamaica. In this city now live more than 600 thousand people. Kingston was founded by the English in 1693.
Official language
The official language is English.
Religion
The majority of the population consider themselves Christians (they belong to various Protestant directions of Christianity). Only 2% of them are Catholics and 4% are Anglicans.
State structure of Jamaica
Jamaica is a constitutional monarchy, the head of which is the monarch of Great Britain. He appoints to the island his representative – the Governor-General. In turn, the Governor General appoints the Prime Minister of Jamaica and the rest of the ministers.
The bicameral local parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The main political parties are the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labor Party (a two-party political system).
Administratively, the country is divided into 14 parishes, which are historically grouped into three districts.