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Aug 2, 2023 · Jamaica is situated to the south of Cuba; to the west of Hispaniola Islands (Haiti & the Dominican Republic) and to the northwest of Cayman Islands. It is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Regional Maps: Map of North America.
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Jamaica, island country of the West Indies. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea, after Cuba and Hispaniola. Jamaica is about 146 miles (235 km) long and varies from 22 to 51 miles (35 to 82 km) wide. It is situated some 100 miles (160 km) west of Haiti, 90 miles (150 km) south of Cuba, and 390 miles (630 km) northeast of the nearest point on the mainland, Cape Gracias a Dios, on the Caribbean coast of Central America. The national capital is Kingston.
Christopher Columbus, who first sighted the island in 1494, called it Santiago, but the original indigenous name of Jamaica, or Xaymaca, has persisted. Columbus considered it to be “the fairest isle that eyes have beheld,” and many travelers still regard it as one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. The island’s various Spanish, French, and English place-names are remnants of its colonial history. The great majority of its people are of African ancestry, the descendants of slaves brought by European colonists. Jamaica became independent from the United Kingdom in 1962 but remains a member of the Commonwealth.
Interior mountains and plateaus cover much of Jamaica’s length, and nearly half of the island’s surface is more than 1,000 feet (300 metres) above sea level. The most rugged topography and highest elevations are in the east, where the Blue Mountains rise to 7,402 feet (2,256 metres) at Blue Mountain Peak, the island’s highest point. Karst (limeston...
Numerous rivers and streams issue from the central highlands, but many disappear intermittently into karst sinkholes and caves. Few rivers are navigable for any great distance, because of their rapid descent from the mountains. The Rio Minho in central Jamaica is the longest river, flowing for some 60 miles (100 km) from the Dry Harbour Mountains to Carlisle Bay. The Black River in the west and the Rio Cobre near Kingston are each longer than 30 miles (50 km).
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More than half of the island’s surface is covered with white limestone, beneath which are yellow limestone, older metamorphic rocks (compact rocks formed by heat and pressure), and igneous rocks (formed by the cooling of molten material). The shallow soils of many upland areas are particularly susceptible to erosion. Alluvial soils on the coastal plains chiefly consist of deep loam and clay, and residual clays cover the valley floors.
Economy. Science and technology. Infrastructure. See also. Notes. References. Further reading. External links. Jamaica. Coordinates: 18°10′48″N 77°24′00″W. Jamaica ( / dʒəˈmeɪkə / ⓘ jə-MAY-kə; Jamaican Patois: Jumieka [dʒʌˈmie̯ka]) is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies.
Apr 9, 2024 · Geography. Location. Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba. Geographic coordinates. 18 15 N, 77 30 W. Map references. Central America and the Caribbean. Area. total: 10,991 sq km. land: 10,831 sq km. water: 160 sq km. comparison ranking: total 166. Area - comparative.
Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean that attracts sunseekers for its laid-back beach culture, gourmands for its delicious cuisine, and music fans on the trail of Jamaica's most famous son, reggae legend Bob Marley. Map. Directions. Satellite.
Environmental policy. See also. References. Geography of Jamaica. Coordinates: 18°15′N 77°30′W. Jamaica's parishes, rivers and population centres and other features. Jamaica lies 140 km (87 mi) south of Cuba and 190 km (118 mi) west of Haiti.
Jamaica, Island country, West Indies, located south of Cuba. The third largest island in the Caribbean, it is 146 mi (235 km) long and 35 mi (56 km) wide. Area: 4,244 sq mi (10,991 sq km). Population: (2023 est.) 2,749,000. Capital: Kingston. The population consists mostly of descendents of African slaves.
