local conditions and customs
Jamaica
Jamaica is one of the island countries in the Caribbean Sea, located between 17.42 to 18.31 degrees north latitude and 76.11 to 78.22 degrees west longitude. It is separated from Haiti by the Jamaican Strait to the east and approximately 145 kilometers north of Cuba. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean with a territorial area of 10991 square kilometers. The country is divided into three counties, with 14 districts below them. The capital is Kingston. In 2023, Jamaica had a total population of 2.994 million. Jamaica's resources mainly include bauxite, while other abundant resources include copper, iron, lead, zinc, and gypsum, with a forest area of 265000 hectares. Originally a Native American Arawak settlement. Columbus arrived here in 1494 and became a Spanish colony in 1509. It was occupied by Britain in 1655. In 1866, it became a British colony. On August 6, 1962, it declared independence and is now a member of the Commonwealth.
history：
The island of Jamaica had become a settlement for the Arawak tribe of Native Americans no later than the 5th century BC. The name Jamaica comes from the Arawak language Xaymaca, meaning "land of water and trees".
In 1494, Columbus came to Jamaica, and in 1509, Spain declared Jamaica a colony and renamed it Santiago. Spain implemented a slave policy towards the indigenous population, resulting in the extinction of the Arawak people on the island due to war, disease, and slavery. In order to supplement its labor force, Spain began selling slaves from Africa to Jamaica in 1517, leading to black people gradually becoming the dominant ethnic group in Jamaica. In 1538, the Spanish established the Spanish city as the capital of Jamaica.
Since the late 16th century, Jamaica has been repeatedly attacked by pirates from countries such as France, England, and the Netherlands. In May 1655, a British fleet led jointly by William Bean and Robert Venables captured Jamaica. They immediately invited the pirates to the port of Loire on the island to assist in defending a possible counterattack by the Spanish. Between 1657 and 1658, the Spanish launched a counterattack from Cuba, but both ended in failure.
In 1670, according to the Treaty of Madrid, Spain officially ceded Jamaica and other areas to Britain. The British immediately used Jamaica as a base for their pirate activities, and it became the "capital" of Caribbean pirates before the earthquake destroyed Port Loire in 1692. Afterwards, the British built Kingston and gradually built it into the central city of Jamaica.
In the 150 years after 1692, Jamaica became a world-renowned producer of sugar, rum, and coffee. In order to maintain a large number of plantations, the Royal African Company was established in England in 1672.
In 1866, Britain announced the conversion of Jamaica into a direct colony. At the end of the 19th century, Jamaica's sugar industry gradually declined and was replaced by the banana planting industry. In 1872, Kingston officially became the capital of Jamaica.
In the decades after 1872, Jamaica's economy gradually prospered, but its social and cultural development was always suppressed by the colonial authorities. Especially during the Great Depression, all sectors of Jamaica were very dissatisfied with the declining social situation. In 1938, Jamaican workers staged an uprising. Afterwards, the colonial authorities were forced to grant some autonomy to the local area. In 1944, Jamaica held its first general election.
In 1958, Jamaica joined the Federation of West Indies, but in 1961, voters rejected the Union Treaty, leading to Jamaica's withdrawal.
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica declared independence and subsequently joined the Commonwealth.
On October 23, 2011, Andrew Hornes, the youngest Prime Minister in Jamaican history, was sworn in at Kingston, the capital of Jamaica.
custom：
According to Jamaican customs, a man must buy or build a house before getting married, hold a grand wedding, and support his wife who does not have to work outside, but this is often only common in upper society. Residents at the lower level have another method of marriage.
When Jamaican women experience pregnancy symptoms, their mother usually acknowledges this established fact. As long as the father of the baby agrees to bear a certain cost of the child, they can live in the woman's house. Once the child is born, they can live together, but do not hold a formal wedding. [14]
Villages in Jamaica generally have a central square, which is the center of the entire village. There are village governments, hospitals, shops, long-distance bus stations, etc. around the square. The houses in the village are mostly built with cement and bricks and tiles. Urban architecture and planning are European style, with many high-rise buildings and beautiful restaurants and swimming pools in coastal cities. The clothes that residents often wear include shirts and shorts. Women usually wear skirts and suits on solemn occasions. Residents like to dance disco, listen to Lejia music, and enjoy group dance. The staple foods of residents are rice, corn, bread, beef, milk, vegetables, etc. Young people like to drink Coca Cola, while elderly people like to drink tea and coffee. Beer and dragon wine are also popular drinks for many people.
Jamaica's etiquette is similar to that of Commonwealth countries and Latin American countries. The most commonly used forms of address are Mr. and Ms., Mrs., Mrs., etc. It is customary to add an official or professional title before the form of address. When attending a banquet, the invited person should bring gifts. The taboo in Jamaica is similar to that in the UK, where women are considered unlucky on the 13th of each month regardless of their age. People generally do not like to use the number "13" or the like.
regime：
Jamaica is a constitutional representative monarchy. On August 6, 1962, the current constitution came into effect. The head of state of Jamaica is the Queen of England, and the Governor of Jamaica is appointed by the Queen after being nominated by the Prime Minister. According to the Jamaican Constitution, the Governor appoints the majority leader of the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister of the government, and appoints a Cabinet Minister based on the Prime Minister's nomination. The Jamaican Parliament is composed of two chambers, the Senate and the House, appointed and elected. The Jamaican Processing Party and the People's National Party have been in power for a long time, with a stable political situation. However, social issues such as unemployment, poverty, drug trafficking, and violent crime are prominent. In February 2016, the Labour Party won the general election, with party leader Andrew HOLNESS serving as prime minister. On September 3, 2020, a general election was held in Jamaica, with the Labour Party remaining in power and Hollis re elected as Prime Minister. At present, the political situation in Jamaica is stable.
