The Best Beaches of the Greater Antilles - Nothing says vacation like crystalline blue waters, white-sand beaches and luxurious indulgence then the Greater Antilles!

Is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 mi) in length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width, amounting to 11,100 km2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 190 kilometres (120 mi) west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water", or the "Land of Springs". Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British Crown colony of Jamaica. With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. It remains a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. Kingston is the largest city in Jamaica and the country's capital. History Please go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jamaica Geography Please go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Jamaica Other info Oficial Name: Jamaica Independence: August 6, 1962 Area: 10.991km2 Inhabitants: 3.600.000 Languages: English [eng] Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English More information. Jamaican Country Sign Language [jcs] Alternate names: Country Sign. Dialects: There is no standardized sign language, but 'Country Sign' differs from region to region. Classification: Deaf sign language More information. Jamaican Creole English [jam] 2,665,636 in Jamaica (2001). Population total all countries: 3,181,171. Also spoken in Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama, United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: Patwa, Patois, Bongo Talk, Quashie Talk, Southwestern Caribbean Creole English. Dialects: The basilect (extreme varieties) and Standard English are inherently unintelligible to each other's speakers (Voegelin and Voegelin, LePage, Adler). It may be partly intelligible to speakers of Cameroon Pidgin and Krio of Sierra Leone, spoken by descendants of Jamaicans repatriated between 1787 and 1860. Inherently intelligible to speakers of creoles in Panama and Costa Rica. Reported to be very close to Belize Creole, close to Grenada, Saint Vincent, different from Tobago, very different from Guyana, Barbados, Leeward and Windward islands. Lexical similarity 25% with Guyanese, 13% with Belizean, 9% with Trinidadian, 8% with Barbadian, 5% with Nicaraguan. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Western Capital city: Kingston Meaning country name: Taíno/Arawak Indian "Xaymaca" or "Hamaica", "Land of wood and water" or perhaps "Land of Springs". Description Flag: The flag of Jamaica was adopted on August 6, 1962 which was the original Jamaican Independence Day. The flag consists of the colours green, gold, and black. Black symbolises the strength and creativity of the Jamaican people. Gold represents sunlight and the country's natural wealth. Green represents hope for the future and agricultural richness. The flag is blazoned per saltire vert, sable, of the second, and of the first, a saltire Or. Coat of arms: Considered as a legacy from the British with slight modifications, the Jamaican Coat of Arms was granted to Jamaica in 1661 under Royal Warrant. The original was designed by William Sancroft, then Archbishop of Canterbury. In giving consideration to what might have be the form of an appropriate Coat of Arms for an Independent Jamaica, both Government and the Opposition reached agreement in the following principle: the existing Arms (granted in 1661) constituted a “badge of great historical significance to the nation and should be retained”. All the figures on the Arms represent Jamaica in different aspects: the pineapples -as the indigenous fruits, the Tainos – as the first inhabitants and the crocodile – as the indigenous reptile in the country. The use of the Royal Helmet and Mantlings is a unique distinction accorded Jamaica. It is also stated that the original grant of arms was made in February 1662 not 1661. The latter year is an error owing to the change in 1752 from the old style of dating to the new(the New Year began on March 25 so that what was then 1661 would be 1662 to nowadays). The Jamaica coat of Arms has seen quite a number of changes, but only three are officially recorded. These changes occurred in 1692, 1957 and 1962 respectively. Motto: "Out of many, one people" National Anthem: Jamaica,Land we love you Eternal Father, Bless our land Guide us with thy mighty hand Keep us free from evil powers Be our light through countless hours To our leaders, Great Defender, Grant true wisdom from above Justice, truth be ours forever Jamaica, land we love Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica, land we love Teach us true respect for all Stir response to duty's call Strengthen us the weak to cherish Give us vision lest we perish Knowledge send us, Heavenly Father, Grant true wisdom from above Justice, truth be ours forever Jamaica, land we love Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica, land we love Internet Page: www.my-island-jamaica.com www.jamaicans.com www.jis.gov.jm www.cabinet.gov.jm www.jamaicatravel.com Jamaica in diferent languages eng | cat | cym | dan | est | hau | ina | nld | nor | oci | por | ron | sme | spa | swe | vor: Jamaica afr | bre | dsb | eus | fin | fry | hsb | hun | jav | lav | lit | mlg | smg | swa | tet: Jamaika ces | hrv | pol | slk | slv: Jamajka ita | lld | roh | scn: Giamaica deu | ltz | nds: Jamaika / Jamaika fra | jnf | nrm: Jamaïque ast | glg: Xamaica cor | wol: Jamayka ind | msa: Jamaika / جامايكا kaa | uzb: Yamayka / Ямайка kin | run: Jamayika arg: Chamaica aze: Yamayka / Јамајка bam: Zamayiki bos: Jamajka / Јамајка crh: Camayka / Джамайка epo: Jamajko fao: Jameika frp: J•amayica fur: Gjamaiche gla: Iaimeuca gle: Iamáice / Iamáice glv: Yn Yamaicey hat: Jamayik ibo: Jameka isl: Jamaíka kmr: Yamayka / Йамайка / یامایکا; Yamayk / Йамайк / یامایک kur: Cemayîka / جەماییکا lat: Iamaica; Jamaica lin: Jamaïke mlt: Ġamajka mol: Jamaica / Жамайка pap: Hamaika que: Shamayka rmy: Jamaika / जामाइका rup: Iamaica slo: Jamaika / Йамаика smo: Iamaika som: Jameyka sqi: Xhamajka srd: Jamàica tgl: Hamayka ton: Samaika tuk: Ýamaýka / Ямайка tur: Jamaika; Jamayka vie: Ha-mai-ca vol: Camaykeän wln: Djamayike zza: Cameika abq | alt | bul | che | chm | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm | ukr: Ямайка (Jamajka) bak |tat: Ямайка / Yamayka bel: Ямайка / Jamajka chv: Ямайкӑ (Jamajkă) kaz: Ямайка / Yamayka / يامايكا kbd: Ямайкэ (Jamajkă) mkd: Јамајка (Jamajka) mon: Ямайк (Jamajk) oss: Ямайкӕ (Jamajkä) srp: Јамајка / Jamajka tgk: Ямайка / یمیکه / Jamajka ara: جامايكا (Ǧāmāykā); جمايكا (Ǧamāykā); جاميكا (Ǧāmaykā) fas: جامائیکا / Jâmâikâ; ژامائیک / Žâmâik prs: جامایکا (Jāmāykā) pus: جامايکا (Jāmāykā); جميکا (Jamaykā) uig: يامايكا / Yamayka / Ямайка urd: جمیکا (Jamekā) div: ޖެމެއިކާ (Jeme'ikā) heb: ג׳מיקה (Jameyqah / Jamayqah); ג׳אמאיקה (Jâmâyqah); ג׳אמייקה (Jâmayqah / Jâmeyqah); ג׳מייקה (Jameyqah) lad: ז'אמאייקה / Jamayka yid: יאַמײַקאַ (Yamayka) amh: ጃማይካ (Jamayka) ell-dhi: Τζαμάικα (Tzamáika) ell-kat: Τζαμάϊκα (Tzamáïka); Ζαμάϊκα (Zamáïka); Ἰαμάϊκα (Iamáïka); Ἰαμαϊκή (Iamaïkī́) hye: Յամայկա (Yamayka) kat: იამაიკა (Iamaika) hin: जमैका (Jamækā); जमाइका (Jamāikā) ben: জামাইকা (Jāmāikā); জ্যামেকা (Jæmekā) pan: ਜੈਮਾਈਕਾ (Jæmāīkā) kan: ಜಮೈಕ (Jamaika) mal: ജമൈക്ക (Jamaikka) tam: ஜமேக்கா (Jamēkkā); ஜமைக்கா (Jamaikkā); ஜமைகா (Jamaikā) tel: జమైకా (Jamaikā) zho: 牙買加/牙买加 (Yámǎijiā) jpn: ジャマイカ (Jamaika) kor: 자마이카 (Jamaika); 자메이카 (Jameika) bod: ཡ་མས་ཁ་ (Ya.mas.kʰa.) dzo: ཇ་མའི་ཀ་ (Ja.ma'i.ka.) mya: ဂ္ယမေကာ (Jámeka) tha: จาเมกา (Čāmēkā) khm: ហ្សាម៉ាអ៊ិគ (Hsāmā'ik); ចាម៉ៃកា (Čāmaikā)

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The Best Beaches of the Greater Antilles - Nothing says vacation like crystalline blue waters, white-sand beaches and luxurious indulgence then the Greater Antilles!

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A guide to the Caribbean including maps (country map, outline map, political map, topographical map) and facts and information about the Caribbean.