Jamaica Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caribbean.

Area
10,991 sq km (4,244 sq miles).

Population
2.8 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Population Density
252.5 sq km.

Capital
Kingston.
Population: 660,000.

Government
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1962.

Language
The official language is English, but Patois is the conversational dialect most Jamaicans use on a day-to-day basis.

Religion
Jamaica has the most churches per capita of any country in the world. Protestant majority (Anglican, Baptist, Church of God and Methodist) with Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Bahai communities. Rastafarianism, a religion based on belief in the divinity of the late Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari), is also widely practiced. Jamaica also has a number of small spiritualist cults.

Time
GMT - 5.

Electricity
Electrical outlets on Jamaica do not follow a standard. Expect 110 volts or 220 volts AC (50 Cycle), 60Hz, single phase with American two-pin plugs or 220 volts AC, 50Hz, single phase, from three-pin sockets.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Bruce Golding since 2007.

Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Patrick Linton Allen.

Recent History
Jamaica has a stable political system. The People's National Party (PNP, social democrat) held power from February 1989 to September 2006. In October 2002 elections the PNP won a fourth consecutive term in office, giving PJ Patterson an unprecedented fourth term as prime minister. He resigned in March 2006, after 14 years in the role. Portia Simpson Miller, the newly-elected leader of the ruling PNP, automatically succeeded him, becoming Jamaica's seventh prime minister and the first female to take office. Underemployment, national debt, high interest rates, gang-related crimes and labor unrest remained the government's major challenges. In 2007, Bruce Golding led his Jamaica Labor Party to victory in a closely fought election.

Telephone
Country code: 1 876. There are no area codes.

Mobile Telephone
Several roaming agreements exist with a number of international mobile phone networks. Some companies offer handsets for short-term rental on a per-day basis.

Internet
As well as numerous cyber cafes, Kingston has several Internet kiosks offering free Internet connections in shopping malls throughout the city. In rural and resort areas, Internet is also available in many hotels, tourist offices and libraries.

Media
Jamaica enjoys a free press and its newspapers frequently criticize the establishment. The broadcast media are predominantly commercial with three terrestrial TV broadcasters and a handful of local cable channels. The main newspapers are privately owned.


Post
Jamaica has two main post offices, one in Kingston and one in Montego Bay. An airmailed postcard takes two to three weeks to reach Europe.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630.

Press
• Daily papers are The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Star and The Jamaica Observer.
• The only weekly paper is The Sunday Herald.
• Jampress is the government-run national news agency.

Radio
• Radio Jamaica Ltd (RJR) operates three commercial networks: RJR 94 FM; entertainment station FAME-FM; music and sports station Radio 2 FM.
• Other commercial stations include Kool 97, News Talk 93, Irie FM, Hot 102, KLAS FM and Power 106.
• Roots 96.1 FM is a community station.
• Love FM is a religious station.
• BBC Caribbean Service and World Service radio programs are available via the BBC 104 FM network.

Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
25 Feb Ash Wednesday. 
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
23 May Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day. 
6 Aug Independence Day. 
20 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
17 Feb Ash Wednesday. 
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
23 May Labor Day.
1 Aug Emancipation Day. 
5 Aug Independence Day. 
20 Oct National Heroes' Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Contact Information:

Jamaica High Commission in the UK
1-2 Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ, UK
Tel: (020) 7823 9911.
Website: www.jhcuk.org
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1700; Fri 0900-1600 (high commission); Mon-Fri 1000-1430 (consulate).

Jamaica Tourist Board in the UK
Address as high commission - see above.
Tel: (020) 7225 9090.
Website: www.visitjamaica.com

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.doitcaribbean.com 

Jamaican Embassy in the USA
1520 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 452 0660.
Website: www.jamaicaembassy.org

Jamaica Tourist Board in the USA
5201 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 670, Miami, FL 33126, USA
Tel: (305) 665 0557 or 1 800 233 4582.
Website: www.visitjamaica.com


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