Jamaica Travel Guide

Jamaica — Country and Tourist Information

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Country Facts

Location: Caribbean.
Language: The official language is English, but Patois is the conversational dialect most Jamaicans use on a day-to-day basis.
Area: 10,991 sq km (4,244 sq miles).
Time Zone: 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.
Population: 2.8 million (CIA estimate 2007).
Population Density: 252.5 sq km.
Capital City: Kingston. Population: 660,000.
Government: Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1962.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Bruce Golding since 2007.
Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Patrick Linton Allen.
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 practised. Jamaica also has a number of small spiritualist cults.

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.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +1 876. There are no area codes. Prepaid international phone cards make the cost of making and international call from a Jamaican land line less expensive.

Mobile Telephone

Most of the population now use mobile phones as the preferred option to landlines. 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. For approximately US$30.00 you can buy a cell phone here to use with phone cards, without the need for a contract.

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. Airmail takes two to three weeks to reach Europe.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.
âÂ€¢ BBC Caribbean Service and World Service radio programs are available via the BBC 104 FM network.

Public Holidays

Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
9 Mar Ash Wednesday
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
23 May Labor Day
1 Aug Emancipation Day
6 Aug Independence Day
17 Oct National Heroes’ Day
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
22 Feb Ash Wednesday
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
23 May Labor Day
1 Aug Emancipation Day
6 Aug Independence Day
18 Oct National Heroes’ Day
25 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).