Jamaica Essay, Research Paper

 Close your eyes and picture a beautiful sunset meeting far

away on the shimmering clear blue water in front of you. You feel

a cool breeze and a hot sun against your skin and the feeling of

the warm sand beneath your feet. You walk forward and feel the

refreshing water wet your legs and you are tickled as a school of

tropical fish passes you by. You spot the palm trees and wild

plants off the shore. Are you in an unreal paradise? Yes I have.

It is Jamaica. Geographical Location Jamaica is blessed with

superb geographical location and resources that makes it a great

vacation spot. It is an island country south of Cuba and north of

South America. So you must fly or sail there. Its short distance

from the United States makes it a short distance from here and

that is great for fliers. It is probably a four -hour flight.

Jamaica is only about 17 degrees above the equator so it is very

warm all year round. (Grab your sunglasses and tanning oil!) Land

and Resources Everyone sees the commercials for the white-sanded

beaches and the clear blue water but Jamaica’s terrain is

mountainous except for those several tracts of lowlands that you

see on TV. In fact Blue Mountain’s, which is the highest mountain

in Jamaica, is 7402 ft. There are many smaller mountains with

many traverse spurs that extend west to the extremity of the

island making a gigantic plateau. So if you plan on going to

Jamaica you had better think of bringing your hiking boots. Lead

and Salt deposits can be found on the island and rich soils can

be found on the coastal plains. The island is also equipped with

excellent natural harbors, including those at Kingston, Saint

Ann’s Bay, Montego Bay, and Port Maria. There is no volcanic

activity in Jamaica but it is subject to severe earthquakes.

Plants and Animals Jamaica are filled with luxurious and diverse

vegetation. More than 200 species have been identified. The

indigenous trees include the cedar, mahogany, rosewood, ebony,

coconut palm, and pimento. Introduced varieties such as the

mango, breadfruit, banana, and plantain also flourish the island.

Jamaican animal life generally includes highly diverse bird life.

This group includes Parrots, hummingbirds, cuckoos, and green

todies. No large four-legged animals or venomous reptiles exist

there. Culture Jamaica is not only blessed with great plenty of

natural wonders but it’s people and their cultures are probably

it’s greatest resource, and that is what draw the people to the

island. Jamaica’s great dependency on Great Britain form the past

300 years shows in the language they speak and in their customs,

which are combined with African influences. Bob Marley, Jimmy

Cliff, made Reggae, a distinctively syncopated style of Jamaican

music popular in the 20th century. It was a great influence on

rock in the middle of the 80’s, especially in Britain. Government

the Jamaica constitution, promulgated in 1962, established a

parliamentary system of government patterned after that of Great

Britain. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. The

British monarch is the head of the state and is represented by a

governor general, who is appointed on the advice of the Prime

Minister. There are an Executive branch, a Legislative branch,

and a Judiciary branch. Their government is quite like ours. The

Prime Minister has a lot of power, kind of like our president.

Jamaica has two political parties. The People’s National Party

(PNP) is one. It is socialist in orientation. The other is the

Jamaica Labor Group (JLP) which supports free enterprise in a

mixed economy. A number of popular groups, such as Pocomania and

Rastafarianism, are significant and famous in the Jamaican

religious life. History Members of the Arawak tribe were the

aboriginal inhabitants of the island. They named it Xaymaca.

Christopher Columbus sighted the island during his second voyage,

and Xaymaca became a Spanish Colony in 1509. The Arawak quickly

died out due to disease and harsh treatment. African slaves were

imported to overcome the resultant labor shortage. An English

naval force under Sir William Penn captured Jamaica in 1655. The

island was formally transferred to England in 1670 after the

Treaty of Madrid. During the final decades of the 17th century,

great numbers of English immigrants arrived; the sugar, cacao,

and other agricultural and forest industries were rapidly

expanded, and the great demand for plantation labor led to an

enormous amount of slaves to be brought in. In 1682 Port Royal,

the chief Jamaican slave market, was destroyed by and the

earthquake. Kingston was soon established and Parliament

abolished slavery on August 1, 1838. Large numbers of freed

blacks abandoned the plantations following emancipation and took

possession of occupied lands, gravely disrupting the economy.

Labor shortages bankrupt plantations, and declining trade

resulted in a delayed economic crisis. Jamaica was made a crown

colony thus losing the large degree of self-government it had

since the late 17th century. Representative government was partly

restored in 1884. Jamaica gained Independence when it united with

the Federation of the West Indies. The P.P. won large

parliamentary majority in 1989, returning Manley to power. He

introduced moderate free-market policies before resigning in

March 1992 because of poor health. Percival J. Patterson, his

successor as Prime Minister and PNP leader, easily won reelection

a year later. Jamaica is a jewel. It is a great place with great

people, and you can go there and see the beautiful beaches and

swim in the beautiful clear blue water, or go hiking in the

mountains, or listen to a band play on the street, or go

sightseeing in the beautiful cities. They have great culture, and

a unique style of living. I believe I have given you many

exciting reasons why I am nominating this my favorite place.

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