Search

This chapter reports that Jamaica is divided into 14 political zones referred to as parishes. These are Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, and Westmoreland. After parishes, the nation is divided into cities. Spanish Town, once the capital of Jamaica, is now Jamaica's second-largest city. Maypen, a city of about 50,000, is home to the famous Royal Jamaica cigar factory.

This chapter stresses that many people in Jamaica come from many diverse ethnic backgrounds. For much of Jamaica's history, blacks were slaves or manual laborers. Today, thanks to the black nationalism movement led by Marcus Garvey in the early 20th century, black Jamaicans have a newfound sense of pride and identity. The country is home to approximately 5,000 Chinese. The Maroons are one of Jamaica's oldest ethnic groups. The official language of Jamaica is English. Education in Jamaica is mandatory until the age of 15. Rastafarians are a group of Jamaicans who practice the religion of Rastafarianism.

This chapter discusses the economic conditions in Jamaica. Jamaica has a wide trade imbalance--it imports some $3.1 billion worth of goods a year, or nearly twice as much as it exports. The mining industry is driven by the world's need for bauxite, or red gold. Other industries include textile manufacturing, food processing, distillation of rum, and manufacturing of cement, metal, paper, and chemical products. Although it is illegal, marijuana is a popular crop in Jamaica. Many of Jamaica's unskilled laborers work in the sugar industry. In 2002 the World Bank listed Jamaica as 93rd in the world in a ranking of countries by per capita income.

This chapter discusses the history of Jamaica. On May 5, 1494, Christopher Columbus first arrived in Jamaica. His ship landed in what is now known as Saint Ann's Bay. The country became a Spanish colony in 1509. Toward the end of the 17th century, more and more English immigrants came to Jamaica. The end of slavery was a disaster for Jamaica's plantation owners. At the end of the 1920s, a different kind of disaster struck. On October 29, 1929, the American stock market crashed. Throughout the 1930s, conditions for the working class continued to worsen. On August 6, 1962, Jamaica became an independent state.

This article describes Jamaica as a wild combination of beaches, grassy plains, mountains, valleys, jungles, cays, and raised areas of limestone and rock. It occupies the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles. Most of Jamaica's interior is mountainous terrain. The longest of Jamaica's 120 rivers is the Black River, which flows for 44 miles from northern Manchester Parish through the Cockpit Country and the parish of Saint Elizabeth. The official hurricane season in Jamaica is from June 1 to November 30. An astounding variety of orchids--237 different types--grow in this island paradise.

This chapter describes the people and culture of Suriname. The ethnic ingredients of Suriname's cultural soup include the Maroons and Amerindians in the interior, and the Creoles, Hindustanis, Javanese, Chinese, and Europeans in the coastal zone. The Arawaks, Caribs, Tirios, and Wajanas are four of the country's remaining Amerindian tribes. Higher education is provided by the University of Suriname, the Institute for Advanced Training of Teachers, or the Academy for Higher Art and Culture. Cooking, clothing, and carvings are all a part of Suriname's diverse multicultural heritage.

This chapter presents an information on the economy of Suriname. According to the World Bank, in the year 2000 Suriname was the 17th richest nation in the world in terms of natural resources. Within its borders Suriname has untapped fortunes in gold, manganese, uranium, iron ore, nickel, and platinum. The industrial sector is made up of construction, manufacturing, energy, mining, and fish-processing businesses, which employ approximately 10 percent of the labor force in the country. After rice, shrimp is Suriname's largest food export. The country offers eco-tourists opportunities for white-water rafting, photography, fishing, bird-watching, nature hikes, adventure trips, and interaction with Maroon and Amerindian cultures.

This chapter discusses the history of Suriname. The first people to live in the land that today is Suriname were Amerindians. Because they no longer needed to move so often, these natives of Suriname had time to learn new skills. After the Second World War ended in 1945, many people in Dutch Guiana began demanding that the Netherlands give them independence. By 1954 the Netherlands had relinquished control of most of Dutch Guiana's internal affairs, although the Netherlands maintained control over foreign affairs and defense policies. The country remained turbulent throughout the 1980s.

This article describes the land of South American country Suriname. The population of Suriname is slightly smaller than that of Denver, Colorado. And despite its small size, the country has one of the world's largest nature preserves--the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, established in 1998. Suriname is made up primarily of tropical rain forests, coastal swampland, a few mountain ranges, and some gradually sloping hills. It can be divided into three major regions: the coastal plain, the central region, and the southern region.

This chapter reports on cities and communities in Suriname. The country is divided into 10 political districts. These include Paramaribo, Wanica, Para, Brokopondo, Commewijne, Saramacca, Coronie, Nickerie, Marowijne and Sipaliwini. The capital and the largest city is Paramaribo, located on the west bank of the Suriname River. The second-largest city is Lelydorp, which is also a district capital and has a population of about 17,000. While many things continue to change in Suriname, the smallest nation in South America the country's cultural diversity remains a constant.

This article outlines the history of Haiti. In 1492, Christopher Columbus's expedition arrived in the West Indies, and one of the ships, the Santa María, ran aground off the northern coast of the island of Hispaniola, near the present-day city of Cap-Haïtien. Slaves and mulattoes rose up against the European minority in a revolt led by Toussaint-Louverture in 1791. In 1915, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sent troops to Haiti to restore order. Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in 1991 by the military, leading to an international trade embargo that plunged the country even deeper into poverty.

This article presents project and report ideas about Jamaica. The heroes of Jamaica include Paul Bogle, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Norman Washington Manley, Sam Sharpe, Sir Alexander Bustamante, and George William Gordon. Create an illustrated time line of Jamaica's history to hang in your classroom. It should display what you believe are the top 10 most important dates in Jamaican history. Research the life and art of this famous contemporary Jamaican artist.

This article presents the recipes for Banana Fritters, Curry Chicken, Banana Porridge, Beef Soup and Vegetable Callaloo.

This article defines several terms that are related to Jamaica. Alumina is a mineral composed partly of aluminum, found by itself or in bauxite. Greater Antilles is an island chain that includes Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Guerrilla is a private citizen who wages war against the government, usually as part of a small, quickly moving group. Mulatto is an individual who is of mixed black and white ancestry. Parish is a political subdivision of a country, often corresponding with an original religious community.

This article presents a calendar of Jamaican festivals. The Accompong Maroon Festival, January 6, dates back to the 19th century and features traditional dancing, feasts, and ceremonies. During Carnival, costumed groups parade and dance in the streets of many Jamaican cities in April. In June, the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival is scheduled. Emancipation Day is celebrated on August 1. National Heroes' Day is celebrated on the third Monday of October. Jamaicans celebrate Christmas on December 25. The next day, December 26, is Boxing Day, which is based on an English holiday.

This article focuses on the Caribbean Region which is a lovely, ethnically diverse part of tropical America. Waters of the Caribbean Sea bathe the eastern shores of Central America's seven nations, as well as those of the South American countries of Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana. But it is the people of the Caribbean region who make it a unique place. Though its sparkling waters and inviting beaches beckon tourists from around the globe, the Caribbean islands provide a significant portion of the world's sugar, bananas, coffee, cacao, and natural fibers.

This article outlines the holidays and festivals in Suriname. On January 1, the people celebrate New Year's Day. February 25 is observed as Day of the Revolution. July 1 is Emancipation Day or Keti Koti--one of the most important holidays in Suriname. The people celebrate Independence Day on November 25, which marks the establishment of the Republic of Suriname. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish residents of Suriname all observe a number of important holy days related to their religions.

This article describes South America. Most of the continent's inhabitants are properly termed Latin Americans. Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, for example, have significant Indian populations who speak their own languages and follow their own customs. In Paraguay the main Indian language is Guaraní. South America also has one of the world's highest mountains, the Andes, and its greatest river, the Amazon. The world's driest desert is there, the Atacama in northern Chile, where no one has ever seen a drop of rain fall.

This section lists the resources for photographs about Haiti.

This section lists some of the embassies of Haiti and the U.S.

This section lists several information resources from the Internet about Haiti's history.