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Jamaica Information
Adapted from CIA World Factbook
Background
The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in
1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th
century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited
Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated,
replaced by African slaves. England seized the island
in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa,
and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery
in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which
became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing
independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other
British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation
of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence
when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating
economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent
violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political
parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks
involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering.
The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has served
to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless,
many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and
contribute substantially to the economy.
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba.
Climate
Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior.
Languages
English, English patois.
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