Portal:Jamaica

Jamaica
Jamaica
	Flag Coat of arms
Location	Caribbean

edit

The Jamaica Portal

Shortcut

P:JAP:JA

Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean, covering 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi). It is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean, after Cuba and the island of Hispaniola. Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory). With 2.8 million people,0 Jamaica is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas and the fourth most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the country's capital and largest city.

Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica, consisting of an appointed Senate and a directly elected House of Representatives. Andrew Holness has served as Prime Minister of Jamaica since March 2016. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as its king; the appointed representative of the Crown is the Governor-General of Jamaica, the office having been held by Patrick Allen since 2009. Because of a high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, there is a large Jamaican diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Selected article - show another

Carmel Moravian Church

Westmoreland (Jamaican Patois: Wesmolan) is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, on the south side of the island. It lies south of Hanover, southwest of Saint James, and northwest of Saint Elizabeth, in the county of Cornwall. The chief town and capital is Savanna-la-Mar. Negril, a famous tourist destination, is also situated in the parish. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Did you know (auto-generated)

... that footballer Kameron Simmonds, who plays for Jamaica, only took up the sport after a gymnastics injury?
... that an early Elton John song has been described as "only marginally less horrifying" than its title?
... that Swedish naval officer Axel Lagerbielke was imprisoned in Lima for over a year, held in Callao and eventually escaped from Panama on an English packet boat to Jamaica?
... that Pamela Ball was prouder of her mathematics degrees than of being the first Jamaican woman to be a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England?
... that Jamaican-Welsh noblewoman Justina Jeffreys was the inspiration for the character of Anthelia in the 1817 novel Melincourt?

Selected biography - show another

Patterson in 2005

Percival Noel James Patterson, ON, OCC, KC (born 10 April 1935), popularly known as P. J. Patterson, is a Jamaican former politician who served as the sixth prime minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. He served in office for 14 years, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Jamaica's history. He was the leader of the People's National Party from 1992 to 2006.

Patterson served as the member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Westmoreland South Eastern from 1970 to 1980 (when he lost to Euphemia Williams of the Jamaica Labour Party) and again from 1989 to 1993. Following a constituency reorganization, he served as the MP for Westmoreland Eastern from 1993 to 2006. He retired from all of these positions in January 2006. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies

General images - show new batch

The following are images from various Jamaica-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Cassava (yuca) roots, the Taínos' main crop (from History of Jamaica)
Image 2A Rastafarian man in a rastacap at a port of Jamaica's Black River. (from Culture of Jamaica)
Image 3Michael Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1972 to 1980 and from 1989 to 1992 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 4Reconstruction of a Taíno village in Cuba (from History of Jamaica)
Image 5Governor Sir Lionel Smith, accompanied by Revd James Phillippo, proclaiming the abolition of slavery in the colony of Jamaica, on 1 August 1838, from the King's House in Spanish Town (from History of Jamaica)
Image 6Fort Haldane Turntable Cannon 20231007 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 7Port Maria Harbor, St Mary Parish (from History of Jamaica)
Image 8Insurgent slaves destroying the Roehampton Estate, January 1832 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 9Christopher Coke (from History of Jamaica)
Image 10Fort Haldane, Jamaica heritage trail, (from History of Jamaica)
Image 11Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site (batey), outlined with stones in Utuado, Puerto Rico (from History of Jamaica)
Image 121866 lithography by French cartoonist Honoré Daumier showing British Governor John Peter Grant establishing his authority following the Morant Bay Rebellion (from History of Jamaica)
Image 13Dujo, a wooden chair crafted by Taínos. (from History of Jamaica)
Image 14Leonard Parkinson, Maroon Leader, 1796 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 15Sugar cane cutters in Jamaica, 1891 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 16Cane holeing, in a Jamaican plantation, 19th century (from History of Jamaica)
Image 17Sugar cane cutters in Jamaica, 1880 (from History of Jamaica)
Image 18English map from the 1600s (from History of Jamaica)
Image 19Marcus Garvey (from History of Jamaica)
Image 20Easter Rebellion memorial 20231007 Claude Stuart Park (from History of Jamaica)
Image 21Statue of Christopher Columbus, Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica (from History of Jamaica)
Image 22An illustration of pre-1692 Port Royal (from History of Jamaica)
Image 23European colonies in the 18th-century Caribbean (from History of Jamaica)

Good article - show another

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

The Gun Court is the branch of the Jamaican judicial system that tries criminal cases involving firearms. The court was established by Parliament in 1974 to combat rising gun violence, and empowered to try suspects in camera, without a jury. The Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and Resident Magistrate's Courts function as Gun Courts whenever they hear firearms cases. There is also a Western Regional Gun Court in Montego Bay. Those convicted by the Gun Court are imprisoned in a dedicated prison compound at South Camp in Kingston. Until 1999, the Gun Court sessions were also held in the same facility.

The long sentences of the Gun Court and its restrictions on the rights of the accused have given rise to constitutional challenges, some of which have been appealed to the Privy Council in London. These cases have resulted in some modifications to the court, but have upheld it on the whole. The Gun Court system has also been the target of criticism because of its lengthy delay in hearing cases, and the continuing rise in gun violence since its adoption. (Full article...)

List of Good articles

edit

Selected picture - show another

Credit: Kelisi

A map showing Jamaica's cities, main towns, parishes and rivers

More selected pictures

Read more...

Selected cuisines, dishes and foods - show another

Roots wine, more commonly known as "roots drink" or "herbal drink", is a type of medicinal beverage popular in Jamaica. It is believed to have healthful and aphrodisiacal qualities for men.

Roots wine is made from a variety of herbs and roots, often blended with honey or molasses. It is naturally fermented and slightly effervescent, typically containing less than 5% alcohol. (Full article...)

List of fare/cuisine articles