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Topography: For such a small island, Jamaica is rich in a myriad of topographies. It has beaches, tropical mountains, and beautiful waterfalls. Jamaica is "Land of Wood and Water"
Climate: The climate is tropical (hot & humid), with a prevailing wind from the Caribbean Sea. The rainy season is from April to November.
Size and Location: Jamaica is 145 miles in length and 50 miles in width. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea about 90 miles south of Cuba and 120 miles west of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The capital of Jamaica is Kingston. The country is divided into 14 parishes, 60 electoral constituencies.
Language: English is the official language and is widely spoken. However, the local language is Patois, a combination of French, English and African.
Government: Jamaica is a constitutional parliamentary democracy and is a member of the Commonwealth. Therefore, the King of England, Charles III is the titular head of the country. He is represented in Jamaica by a Governor-General. Jamaica has a prime minister, Andrew Holness.
Health Requirements: No immunizations are required at this time. It is important to have received a tetanus booster within the past ten (10) years.
Currency Exchange: Local currency is the Jamaican Dollar, or better known as the “J”. Currently the conversion rate is around J$150=US$1. Many places accept both U.S. and Jamaican currency. Take smaller bills when traveling to Jamaica.
Population: The population of Jamaica is 2,992,179 (Nov 2022)
Religions: Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5% Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%.
Industries: Tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, and telecommunications.
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time. Jamaica does not observe daylight-saving time, therefore, during the summer it is one hour earlier than US time.
Customs: U.S. residents are permitted a $400.00 duty-free tax exemption per person.
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