Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is Jamaica located?

Jamaica is located in the Caribbean Sea in the Western Hemisphere. It is approximately 93 miles (150 km) south of Cuba, at the coordinates 18 15 North Latitude, 77 30 West Longitude.

2. How large is Jamaica?

Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and is approximately 4,244 square miles (10,991 km²)in size. It is about 150 miles (240km) in length from the easternmost point to the westernmost point of the island and approximately 50 miles (85 km) from the southernmost point to the northernmost point of the island. At its highest point, it reaches 7,402 feet (2256 metres)at Blue Mountain Peak.

3. What language(s) is/are spoken in Jamaica ?

The official language of the country is english. This is due to its colonisation by the British Empire in the 17th Century. Jamaica is also the third largest english speaking country in the hemisphere behind the United States of America and Canada. In addition, Jamaicans are also well known for speaking "Patois" a dialect of english which was developed during the times of slavery and has evolved throughout the years.

4. How large is the population ?

The estimated population of the island was approximately 2,670,000 by October 2006. The approximate ethnic breakdown of the population is as follows : Black - 91%, East Indian - 1%, Chinese - 0.2%, White - 0.2%, Mixed - 7.4%, Other - 0.2.% (estimated).

5. What is the climate like ?

Jamaica experiences a tropical climate yearround with an average daily temperature ranging from around a high of 89 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) to a low of 74 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius). This climate usually features sunny and humid conditions in the day time and a chance of rainfall along most low lying areas, with a higher percentage of rainfall throughout the mountainous interior of the island. As with the rest of the Caribbean and certain southern sections of the United States, Jamaica is located in region affected by the tropical hurricane season between July and November each year.

6. Do I need a passport to travel to Jamaica ?

Nationals of most international countries, including Canada and England require a passport valid for at least 6 months to travel to Jamaica.

As of January 2007, all U.S. citizens require a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S.A. when travelling to Jamaica or the Caribbean by air. A similar restriction will be imposed on US citizens travelling to Jamaica by sea in January 2008. For more information and guidelines for US citizens requiring passports please check out the U.S. Dept. website at http://travel.state.gov.

7. What currency do they use in Jamaica ?

The national currency of Jamaica is the Jamaican Dollar (J$). Although this is the only official currency of the island, US dollars are widely excepted in most of the tourist areas of the island such as Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril.

For the current rate of exchange, you can check out our exchange rate conversion page located here .

8. What is the Capital of Jamaica ?

The capital city of Jamaica is Kingston. Located at the southernmost part of the Parish of St. Andrew. Kingston is technically a separate parish in and of itself. However, due to the continuing growth in population and urban development of the city in the surrounding areas which flow into St. Andrew, it has merged its governmental functions with St. Andrew. As a result, the two parishes together are generally referred to as the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporate Area to most locals, with Kingston referring to the more urban business areas such as downtown Kingston and St. Andrew usually referring to the surrounding sub-urban areas.

9. What is the political system of the country ?

The Jamaican government was formed based on the British Parliamentary system after the country gained Independence from England in 1962. Based on this model there are 2 main political parties who contest elections over every 4 year cycle or so. The Parliament consists of The House of Representatives known as Members of Parliament, who are directly elected by the people. The leader of the governing party who is in effect in charge of the government is called the Prime Minister.

There is also a Head of State referred to as the Governor General who is the representative of the Queen of England. Similar to the Queen, this Governor General provides a primarily ceremonial role ad has no major political power.

10.What is the economy of the country based on ?

The economy of the country is based on the free-market system and is sustained mainly through the earning of foreign exchange. Formerly, based on the major agricultural exports of locally grown sugar and bananas which were the major earners for the economy for decades in the past. The major earning industries are now Tourism and the mining of Bauxite (which is refined and used to make aluminum).