What Travelers should know about JAMAICA
Geography:
- Jamaica lies 90 miles (145 km) south of Cuba and 550 miles (885 km) south of Miami
- Jamaica is 11,424 square kilometers (4,411 sq. miles) in size
- Jamaica is 146 miles long and 51 miles wide (just a bit smaller than the state of Connecticut)
- Jamaica is the largest English-speaking and third largest Caribbean island
- Jamaica is divided into 3 counties and 14 parishes
- Jamaica has a mountainous interior with the highest peak at 7,402 feet
- Kingston is the capital city and the major commercial centre
- Montego Bay is the second city and a major tourist destination
- Jamaica occupies the strategic location between the Jamaica Channel and the Cayman Trench, which are the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
- Jamaica's main natural resources are Bauxite, Gypsum, Limestone
Currency:
The official currency is the Jamaican dollar. For current conversion rates you may click here, or visit the Bank of Jamaica website.
Climate:
The island has seasonal rainfall and the annual average temperature is approximately 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).
Population:
- Jamaica’s population stood at 2.624 million people in 20O2
- The annual population growth rate is currently 0.5 %
- Jamaica has a population density of 595 per sq. mile
Age Structure:
- 0-14 years: 31.9% (male 422,200; female 380,864)
- 15-64 years: 60.5% (male 779,400; female 809,400)
- 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 91,300; female 109,100) (2002 est.)
Time Zone:
Jamaica is on Eastern Standard Time (EST), five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Jamaica does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
Government:
- Jamaica has a stable constitutional parliamentary democracy.
- For more information about JAMAICA, click here
Distance Between Major Local Points:
| FROM | TO | DISTANCE | TIME(by Car) |
| Montego Bay | Ocho Rios | 67 miles (107 km) | 1.5 hours |
| Ocho Rios | Port Antonio | 67 miles (107 km) | 2 hours |
| Ocho Rios | Kingston | 58 miles (93 km) | 2 hours |
| Kingston | Mandeville | 64 miles (103 km) | 2 hours |
| Kingston | Port Antonio | 63 miles (103 km) | 2 hours |