Jamaica

Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.

• tropical;
• hot, humid;
• temperate interior

• heavy rates of deforestation;
• coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills;
• damage to coral reefs;
• air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

28.6% (male 395,074; female 376,870)

15-64 years:

64.5% (male 870,486; female 869,431)

65 years and over:

6.8% (male 82,022; female 101,984) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.8 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

Jamaican(s)

adjective:

Jamaican

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Jamaica

chief of state:

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)

head of government:

Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:

• none;
• the monarch is hereditary;
• governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general;
• the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister

• Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA];
• National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING];
• People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS

consulate(s) general:

Miami and New York

FAX:

[1] (202) 452-0081

telephone:

[1] (202) 452-0660

chancery:

1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission:

Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB

embassy:

Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5

mailing address:

use embassy street address

telephone:

[1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859

FAX:

[1] (876) 935-6001

lowest 10%:

2.7%

highest 10%:

30.3% (2000)

general assessment:

fully automatic domestic telephone network

domestic:

NA

international:

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

total:

272 km

standard gauge:

• 272 km 1.435-m gauge;
• note - 207 km, belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but are no longer operational;
• the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite (2002)

total:

18,700 km

paved:

13,109 km

unpaved:

5,591 km (1999 est.)

total:

5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,536 GRT/62,868 DWT

ships by type:

bulk 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Latvia 2, US 2 (2002 est.)

• major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe;
• illicit cultivation of cannabis;
• government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
• corruption is a major concern;
• substantial money-laundering activity;
• Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions