Jamaica+-+Mihis+Ioana+Monica

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 * Jamaica is a mountainous Caribbean island just south of Cuba. Columbus landed here in 1494, and the Spanish soon brought in slaves as the native Arawak Indians died out—today more than 90 percent of the population is of African descent. The British seized the island in 1655, granting independence in 1962. Tourism is a steady earner, but reliance on unpredictably priced commodities, such as bauxite, causes uneven growth. The island is a major transit point for South American cocaine enroute to the U.S. and Europe. Other problems include illicit cultivation of marijuana and heavy deforestation.**


 * ECONOMY**

Agriculture: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus; poultry. Exports: alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum.**
 * Industry: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing.



FACT BOX: The West Indies
Languages: English is the official language in 10 West Indian countries, including Bahamas , Barbados , Jamaica , and Trinidad and Tobago. Population; Total: 36 million ; English-speaking countries: approx. 6 million. Area: 600,372 square km. Largest island: Cuba (Spanish-speaking).**
 * Status: Some islands are part of another country (e.g. Britain, France , the USA and the Netherlands). There are also 13 independent countries.