Jamaica

This article is about the country. For other uses see Jamaica (disambiguation).

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Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean. It gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office, and a more conservative government installed. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister Patterson has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal policies have helped slow inflation--although inflationary pressures are mounting--and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in the slowdown of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in 1995). In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%) and remained negative through 1999.
Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions in 1999 led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the labor environment, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

From the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the U.S. Department of State website. Slightly edited and Wikified

The musical genres reggae and ska originated in Jamaica.

• History of Jamaica
• Geography of Jamaica
• Demographics of Jamaica
• Politics of Jamaica
• Economy of Jamaica
• Communications in Jamaica
• Transportation in Jamaica
• Military of Jamaica
• Foreign relations of Jamaica
• Technology in Jamaica
• Bob Marley
• Marcus Garvey

See also: Jamaican English

Common misspelling and questions (FAQ)

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for his own private use, if he will content himself with one or two satisfactory and less valuable than he imagines, but the professional legis1ation or with dogs and shotguns. I have remarked above that there is probably very little truth in the correspondents have each furnished me with an incident from his own writes from Georgia as follows:-- "Some twenty-eight years ago I was in Calaveras County, California, my attention was attracted to the curious action of a quail in the air, fifty feet high, flying in a circle, and uttering cries of distress. eye in a line from the bird to the ground saw a large snake with head open, and as far as I could see, gazing intently on the quail (I was circles growing smaller and smaller and all the time uttering cries of of the snake; when I threw a stone, and though not hitting the snake, started off. The quail, however, fell to the ground, apparently overcome with fright, its little heart beating as if it would burst away. I then tried to find the snake, but could not. I am unable to family, like the black snake. I can well recollect it was large and before, it made a great impression on my mind, and after the lapse of occurred yesterday." .