Geography of Jamaica

File:Jamaica2021OSM.png

Jamaica's parishes, rivers and population centres and other features

Jamaica lies 140 km (87 mi) south of Cuba and Template:Convert west of Haiti. At its greatest extent, Jamaica is Template:Convert long, and its width varies between Template:Convert.<ref name=":0">Template:Citation-attribution</ref> Jamaica has a small area of Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> However, Jamaica is the largest island of the Commonwealth Caribbean and the third largest of the Greater Antilles, after Cuba and Hispaniola.<ref name=":0" /> Many small islands are located along the south coast of Jamaica, such as the Port Royal Cays. Southwest of mainland Jamaica lies Pedro Bank, an area of shallow seas, with a number of cays (low islands or reefs), extending generally east to west for over Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> To the southeast lies Morant Bank, with the Morant Cays, Template:Convert from Morant Point, the easternmost point of mainland Jamaica.<ref name=":0" /> Alice Shoal, Template:Convert southwest of the main island of Jamaica, falls within the Jamaica–Colombia Joint Regime. It has an Exclusive Economic Zone of Template:Convert.

Geology and landforms

Template:Main Jamaica (which is a very mountainous country) and the other islands of the Antilles evolved from an arc of ancient volcanoes that rose from the sea millions of years ago.<ref name=":0" /> During periods of submersion, thick layers of limestone were laid down over the old igneous and metamorphic rock.<ref name=":0" /> In many places, the limestone is thousands of feetTemplate:Specify thick.<ref name=":0" /> The country can be divided into three landform regions: the eastern mountains, the central valleys and plateaus, and the coastal plains.<ref name=":0" />

The highest area is the Blue Mountains range.<ref name=":0" /> These eastern mountains are formed by a central ridge of metamorphic rock running northwest to southeast from which many long spurs jut to the north and south.<ref name=":0" /> For a distance of over Template:Convert, the crest of the ridge exceeds Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> The highest point is Blue Mountain Peak at Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> The Blue Mountains rise to these elevations from the coastal plain in the space of about Template:Convert, thus producing one of the steepest general gradients in the world.<ref name=":0" /> In this part of the country, the old metamorphic rock reveals itself through the surrounding limestone.<ref name=":0" /> To the north of the Blue Mountains lies the strongly tilted limestone plateau forming the John Crow Mountains.<ref name=":0" /> This range rises to elevations of over Template:Convert.<ref name=":0" /> To the west, in the central part of the country, are two high rolling plateaus: the Dry Harbour Mountains to the north and the Manchester Plateau to the south.<ref name=":0" /> Between the two, the land is rugged and here, also, the limestone layers are broken by the older rocks.<ref name=":0" /> Streams that rise in the region flow outward and sink soon after reaching the limestone layers.<ref name=":0" />

The limestone plateau covers two-thirds of the country, so that karst formations dominate the island.<ref name=":0" /> Karst is formed by the erosion of the limestone in solution.<ref name=":0" /> Sinkholes, caves and caverns, disappearing streams, hummocky hills, and terra rosa (residual red) soils in the valleys are distinguishing features of a karst landscape; all these are present in Jamaica.<ref name=":0" /> To the west of the mountains is the rugged terrain of the Cockpit Country, one of the world's most dramatic examples of karst topography.<ref name=":0" />

The Cockpit Country is pockmarked with steep-sided hollows, as much as Template:Convert deep in places, which are separated by conical hills and ridges.<ref name=":0" /> On the north, the main defining feature is the fault-based "Escarpment", a long ridge that extends from Flagstaff in the west, through Windsor in the centre, to Campbells and the start of the Barbecue Bottom Road (B10).Template:Citation needed The Barbecue Bottom Road, which runs north-south, high along the side of a deep, fault-based valley in the east, is the only drivable route across the Cockpit Country.Template:Citation needed However, there are two old, historical trails that cross further west, the Troy Trail, and the Quick Step Trail, both of which are seldom used Template:As of and difficult to find.Template:Citation needed In the southwest, near Quick Step, is the district known as the "Land of Look Behind," so named because Spanish horsemen venturing into this region of hostile runaway slaves were said to have ridden two to a mount, one rider facing to the rear to keep a precautionary watch.<ref name=":0" /> Where the ridges between sinkholes in the plateau area have dissolved, flat-bottomed basins or valleys have been formed that are filled with terra rosa soils, some of the most productive on the island.<ref name=":0" /> The largest basin is the Vale of Clarendon, Template:Convert long and Template:Convert wide.<ref name=":0" /> Queen of Spains Valley, Nassau Valley, and Cave Valley were formed by the same process.<ref name=":0" />

Coasts

The coastline of Jamaica is one of many contrasts.<ref name=":0" /> The northeast shore is severely eroded by the ocean.<ref name=":0" /> There are many small inlets in the rugged coastline, but no coastal plain of any extent.<ref name=":0" /> A narrow strip of plains along the northern coast offers calm seas and white sand beaches.<ref name=":0" /> Behind the beaches is a flat raised plain of uplifted coral reef.<ref name=":0" />

The southern coast has small stretches of plains lined by black sand beaches.<ref name=":0" /> These are backed by cliffs of limestone where the plateaus end.<ref name=":0" /> In many stretches with no coastal plain, the cliffs drop Template:Convert straight to the sea.<ref name=":0" /> In the southwest, broad plains stretch inland for a number of kilometres.<ref name=":0" /> The Black River courses Template:Convert through the largest of these plains.<ref name=":0" /> The Rio Minho is 92.8 km long and is the longest river in Jamaica (previously, the Black River was thought to be the longest).<ref name="JNHT">Jamaica National Heritage Trust - Black River Template:Webarchive</ref> The swamplands of the Great Morass and the Upper Morass fill much of the plains.<ref name=":0" /> The western coastline contains the island's finest beaches.<ref name=":0" />

Climate

File:Koppen-Geiger Map JAM present.svg

Köppen climate classification zones of Jamaica.

Template:Climate chart Two types of climate are found in Jamaica.<ref name=":0" /> An upland tropical climate prevails on the windward side of the mountains, whereas a semiarid climate predominates on the leeward side.<ref name=":0" /> Warm trade winds from the east and northeast bring rainfall throughout the year.<ref name=":0" /> The rainfall is heaviest from May to October, with peaks in those two months.<ref name=":0" /> The average rainfall is Template:Convert per year.<ref name=":0" /> Rainfall is much greater in the mountain areas facing the north and east, however.<ref name=":0" /> Where the higher elevations of the John Crow Mountains and the Blue Mountains catch the rain from the moisture-laden winds, rainfall exceeds Template:Convert per year.<ref name=":0" /> Since the southwestern half of the island lies in the rain shadow of the mountains, it has a semiarid climate and receives fewer than Template:Convert of rainfall annually.<ref name=":0" />

Temperatures in Jamaica are fairly constant throughout the year, averaging Template:Convert in the lowlands and Template:Convert at higher elevations.<ref name=":0" /> Temperatures may dip to below Template:Convert at the peaks of the Blue Mountains.<ref name=":0" /> The island receives, in addition to the northeast trade winds, refreshing onshore breezes during the day and cooling offshore breezes at night.<ref name=":0" /> These are known on Jamaica as the "Doctor Breeze" and the "Undertaker's Breeze," respectively.<ref name=":0" />

Jamaica lies in the Main Development Region for tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic, and as a result, it sometimes experiences significant storm damage. Powerful hurricanes which have hit the island directly causing death and destruction include Hurricane Charlie in 1951<ref name="uwi">Template:Cite web</ref> and Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.<ref name="1988mwr">Template:Cite journal</ref> Several other powerful hurricanes have passed near to the island with damaging effects. In 1980, for example, Hurricane Allen destroyed nearly all Jamaica's banana crop. Hurricane Ivan (2004) swept past the island causing heavy damage and a number of deaths;<ref>United States Department of State. "U.S. Gives Jamaica ,50,000 for School Equipment and Supplies". Template:Webarchive Retrieved on February 16, 2005.</ref><ref>Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency. News Conference Report: Tourism impact on the Caribbean by Hurricanes Frances, Ivan, Jeanne. Template:Webarchive Retrieved on September 30, 2004.</ref> in 2005, Hurricanes Dennis and Emily brought heavy rains to the island.<ref name="DenEmRpt">Template:Cite report</ref> A Category 4 hurricane, Hurricane Dean, caused some deaths and heavy damage to Jamaica in August 2007.<ref name="BBC_2007-08-20_jam">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="reliefweb_jam_OPDEM_2007-08-20">Template:Cite web</ref>

The first recorded hurricane to hit Jamaica was in 1519. The island has been struck by tropical cyclones regularly. During two of the coldest periods in the last 250 years (1780s and 1810s), the frequency of hurricanes in the Jamaica region was unusually high. Another peak of activity occurred in the 1910s, the coldest decade of the 20th century. On the other hand, hurricane formation was greatly diminished from 1968 to 1994, which for some reason coincides with the great Sahel drought.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Vegetation and wildlife

Template:See also Template:Expand section Although most of Jamaica's native vegetation has been stripped in order to make room for cultivation, some areas have been left virtually undisturbed since the time of European colonization.<ref name=":0" /> Indigenous vegetation can be found along the northern coast, from Rio Bueno to Discovery Bay, in the highest parts of the Blue Mountains, and in the heart of the Cockpit Country.<ref name=":0" />

As in the case of vegetation, considerable loss of wildlife has occurred, beginning with the settlement of the Taíno in the region millennia ago. For example, the Caribbean monk seal (Neomonachus tropicalis) once occurred in Jamaican waters, and has now been driven to extinction.<ref>Peter Saundry. 2010. Caribbean monk seal. Encyclopedia of Earth Template:Webarchive. eds. C. Michael Hogan and Cutler Cleveland. National council for Science and the Environment, Washington DC</ref> Mongooses (Urva auropunctata), introduced to Jamaica in 1872 to reduce rat populations that damaged commercial sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) crops,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> prey on several Jamaican species, including the critically endangered Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei), and have been implicated in the historical population declines and extinctions of many others.<ref>Template:Cite journalTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Other wildlife species inhabiting the island include the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), and the endemic and endangered<ref name="Butterfly">Template:Cite journal</ref> Homerus swallowtail butterfly (Papilio homerus), which is the largest butterfly species in the Western Hemisphere.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Extreme points

• Northernmost point: Half Moon Point, Saint James Parish<ref name="DoOS" />
• Southernmost point: Portland Point, Clarendon Parish<ref name="DoOS">UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet H, 1973.</ref>
• Westernmost point: South Negril Point, Westmoreland Parish<ref name="DoOS" />
• Easternmost point: Morant Point, Saint Thomas Parish<ref name="DoOS" />

Environmental policy

There are policies that are being put into place to help preserve the ocean and the life below water. The goal of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is to improve the quality of life of human communities who depend on coastal resources while maintaining the biological diversity and productivity of coastal ecosystems.<ref name=":22">Template:Cite web</ref> Developing an underdeveloped country can impact the oceans ecosystem because of all the construction that would be done to develop the country. Over-building, driven by powerful market forces as well as poverty among some sectors of the population, and destructive exploitation contribute to the decline of ocean and coastal resources.<ref name=":22" /> Developing practices that will contribute to the lives of the people but also to the life of the ocean and its ecosystem. Some of these practices include: Develop sustainable fisheries practices, ensure sustainable mariculture techniques and practices, sustainable management of shipping, and promote sustainable tourism practices.<ref name=":22" /> As for tourism, tourism is the number one source of foreign exchange earnings in Jamaica and, as such is vital to the national economy.<ref name=":22" /> Tourist typically go to countries unaware of issues and how they impact those issues. Tourist are not going to be used to living in a different style compared to their own country. Practices such as: provide sewage treatment facilities for all tourist areas, determine carrying capacity of the environment prior to planning tourism activities, provide alternative types of tourist activities can help to get desired results such as the development of alternative tourism which will reduce the current pressure on resources that support traditional tourism activities.<ref name=":22" /> A study was conducted to see how tourist could help with sustainable financing for ocean and coastal management in Jamaica. Instead of using tourist fees they would call them environmental fees. This study aims to inform the relevant stakeholders of the feasibility of implementing environmental fees as well as the likely impact of such revenue generating instruments on the current tourist visitation rates to the island.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite journal</ref> The development of a user fee system would help fund environmental management and protection. The results show that tourists have a high consumer surplus associated with a vacation in Jamaica, and have a significantly lower willingness to pay for a tourism tax when compared to an environmental tax. The findings of the study show that the "label" of the tax and as well as the respondent's awareness of the institutional mechanisms for environmental protection and tourism are important to their decision framework.<ref name=":03" /> Tourist are more willing to pay for environmental fees rather than tourist tax fees. A tax high enough to fund for environmental management and protection but low enough to continue to bring tourist to Jamaica. It has been shown that if an environmental tax of $1 per person were introduced it would not cause a significant decline in visitation rates and would generate revenues of US$1.7M per year.<ref name=":03" />

See also

• List of cities and towns in Jamaica
• List of islands of Jamaica
• Port Royal Cays