That in 1930 a black king named Tafari Makonnen (Ras Tafari) was crowned in Ethiopia?
That mannish water is a soup of goat meat and vegetables?
That the Peter Tosh Monument is located in Belmont, Westmoreland?
That the sun in Jamaica is very hot and strong, even when it is cloudy?
That Jamaica's tourist season is from mid-December till mid-April?
In September 1988 a hurricane of extremely strength hit the island of Jamaica. In the eye of Gilbert a historical pressure of 885 millibar was recorded, just at the moment the hurricane reached Jamaica. 45 people died and more than 500.000 people were homeless. Tourism and the agricultural sector were seriously hurt.
Even today a lot of people still remember Gilbert as it was yesterday.
And this is Jamaica right now...
You will not be surprised noticing Jamaica is fully alive in the year 2008.
Since former Prime Minister Percival J. Patterson introduced his policy "be at work on a more peaceful and a more productive Jamaica" a fresh breeze is blowing over the Island in the sun.
Lot of work
However, Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, Paterson's successor, still has a lot of work to do.
The most important export product is bauxite, a mineral that is needed for the production of aluminum. The land itself is fruitful and agricultural products such as banana's, sugar cane and papaya's are doing very well. And to tourists Jamaica is offering a scale of possibilities.
One should expect that Jamaican economy is more prosperous than ever. Unfortunately this is not the case. For a very big part Jamaica is dependent on trade with foreign countries. Consumption goods, capital, technology and know-how, they all are matters that have to be imported.
This makes this country sensitive to changes in world economy. The amount of debts is enormous. Every dollar that is spender on import goods only half is earned back.
Flowers and birds
Flora and fauna are sceneries to be proud of.
The tropical and humid climate is taking care of the fact that thousands flowers-and plants feel at home in Jamaica. The botanical gardens in several places show the most fantastic species of orchids, bromeliad's and begonia's.
Of course many herbs can be found on such fruitful grounds. Pimento is one of them, frequently used when preparing Jerk Chicken. Unofficial (and illegal) the ganja (marihuana) belongs also to one of the most important export herbs of Jamaica. Being in possession of and smoking ganja still is forbidden but cannot be eliminated from the Jamaica society.
Jamaica is a paradise for birds too. Not only homebred species but many North American sorts also find a place to winter here. The most known is Doctor Bird, out of the hummingbird family. With her fierce striped tail you will meet Doctor Bird many times.
Of course many exotic kinds of fish live in the sea around the island. And naturally there are insects although you will never meet dangerous creatures such as bird spiders and scorpions.
Trenchtown Rock
You will not be astonished at it but music is playing an important roll in the life of the Jamaican.
Undoubtedly you are now thinking of the Reggae heroes who made Jamaica world famous. But before the Reggae, as we know her now, the Reggae was, many trends in music passed in review. Mento, Calypso, and Rumba but also occidental music as Rhythm and Blues melted together to Ska, dance music with a fast beat and jazz impacts.
Via the solid bassrhytm of the Rock Steady finally the Reggae came into being which made musicians as Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and bass player Robbie Shakespeare famous. They are sportsmanlike too, the Jamaicans.
The national sport, cricket, is a legacy of the British. Still immense popular and the joint team of the West Indies is a team to be taken into consideration. Teams from England, Australia, New Zealand and other cricket countries regularly had to admit that the West Indians were superior.
Famous too is the bobsleigh adventure. Of course they did not win but impressive it surely was.
And also on the football grounds Jamaica does count. The national team, the Reggae Boyz, did reach the final round of the World Championship in France in 1998 and every Jamaican is as proud as a peacock of this.
The women did put Jamaica on the Olympic map in 2004: Veronica Campbell got 2 gold medals.
jamaica today 
