"What is this place?" "Jamaica" So that was it...

Those words by Errol Flynn in "My Wicked, Wicked Ways" made history when Flynn arrived in Kingston for the first time.
Jamaica offers its residents and its visitors some beautiful land- and seascapes. A total land area of 11,424 square km or 4,411 square miles (146 miles from the west to the east and between 22 to 55 miles from north to south) is dotted with green hills, rough mountains, white beaches, impressive coastlines, a colorful plant- and animal life and a just as colorful people. No wonder Errol Flynn seriously was surprised by the impressive look of the island.

The Caribbean
Jamaica is located about 100 miles south-west of Haiti and 90 miles south from Cuba in one of worlds most turquoise oceans, the Caribbean Sea. It is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and part of the West Indies, a name given by Christopher Columbus.

The country is divided in three counties, named Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey. These counties include thirteen parishes, each with an administrative capital and one contiguous area (Kingston).


Jamaica came into being somewhere 30 million years ago, in a period with lots of powerful underwater volcanic eruptions. This process took about 10 million years before the island raised from the Caribbean Sea.
A lot of sites in the current Jamaica betray the origin of the soil, 60 percent of the island is made of limestone, formed of skeletons of sea creatures. Even today in many caves the origin of Jamaica can be seen.

Mountains
During the uprising from the ocean, a huge collection of hills and mountains were formed, still dominating the island.

The highest mountains can be found in the eastern part of Jamaica. The impressive Blue Mountain Range looks down on Kingston in the south and Port Antonio in the north. The rough Blue Mountain Peak is, with its high of 2,256 meters or 7,402 feet, a worth-to-visit natural beauty.
East of the Blue Mountains the John Crow Mountains roll down into the Caribbean, spectacular masses of rocks included.

In central Jamaica Mount Diablo, the Don Figuerro Mountains, the Dry Harbour Mountains and some lesser ranges can be found. Not as rough as the Blue Mountains, but charming as well. In Trelawny you will find Cockpit Country, one of Jamaica's unique limestone areas. Erosion formed many caves and underground rivers.

Westmoreland and Hanover are dominated by rolling hills and green valleys. The landscape looks almost sweet and soft and is home of sugarcane and swamps.

Rivers
Jamaica owns about 120 rivers, some small and not more than a little stream, but most big enough to get dangerous in rainy days.


Because of the freakish course and many falls, most rivers are not navigable. Only some in the lower coastal plains can be used for transport.

The rainy Blue Mountains Range is mother of many streams to the north- and south coast. Some important rivers here are the Rio Grande (north) and Plantain Garden River and the Negro River (south).
A very interesting river is the Rio Cobre River, which has formed Bog Walk Gorge, a green crevice along the A1 to Kingston.

The longest river is the Black River, named to the black -but clear- water the river brings to the ocean in south-west Jamaica. The Black River is 70 km or 44 miles long and rises on some limestone plateaus in Cockpit Country. From there the stream disappear several times underground before getting a serious river while entering St. Elizabeth.
Before the black water of the meets the blue water of the ocean, it has to deal with the Maggotty Falls and the Great Morass. The Black River is one of Jamaica's few navigable rivers for about 15 miles inland and played an important role in ancient transport.

Some other rivers are the Great River, Martha Brae River and White River, most used for rafting with tourists and not for transport anymore.


Coast
Jamaica's coast is many-sided. Beaches, rocky formations, natural harbors, swamps..., it is all-inclusive.

Most visited by tourists are the north- and westcoast. Many beaches and charming bays and coves can be found here. And Negril's Seven Miles Beach is the paradise for the sunbathing or watersportsloving visitor.

Some parts of the south coast are 'undiscovered' by the tourists. This coast also offers coves, beaches and small islands, called 'cays'. The cays protect the coast from the sometimes rough Caribbean Sea and play an important role in the local cycle of nature. But -most interesting for some of you- it is more quiet in here, most tourists stay along the north coast.
More to the east the coast gets rocky with the foothills of the John Crow Mountains as a beautiful climax.