JAMAICA, ja-co5'kS. The largest of the British West Indian Islands, situated 90 miles south of Cuba and 100 miles west of Haiti, bc tween latitudes 17° 40' and 18° 30' N., and longitudes 76° 10' and 7S° 30' W. (Map: West Indies, H 5). It is 144 miles in its greatest length, and about 50 miles in its widest part. Area, about 4200 square miles. The surface rises gradually from the lowlands of the western coast toward the mountainous regions of the central part. where some of the peaks attain the altitude of over 7000 feet. The most important chain is the Blue Mountains, occupying the eastern end of the island and containing the highest sum mits. Jamaica is favored with a well-indent ed coast-line. There are about sixteen harbors, the most important being on the southern coast ; besides, there are numerous smaller inlets af fording safe anchorage for small vessels. The rivers of the island are numerous, and flow north and south, the central mountain range forming the watershed between the two systems. Most of the rivers are unnavigable on account of their turbulence, and occasionally cause disastrous floods. The most important are the Plantain Garden River, the Black River. Salt River. and Cabarita. Some of the streams are utilized for irrigating the sugar and fruit plantations. The soil is composed largely of sedimentary deposits derived from the red and white limestone forma tions which overlie the primitive granite that forms the main structure of the island. Some volcanic rocks in the eastern part of the island and a number of hot mineral springs afford the only evidence of volcanic action.
In the general characteristics of its flora and fauna. Jamaica resembles the other West Indian islands (see \VEsr lxtuEs), though it has a number of features peculiar to itself, especially in it,. flora, 11111C11 is remarkably rich and varied. Venomous snakes are unknown. The climate of Jamaica is. next to its remarkable vegetation, the principal attraction of the island. Although it is quite humid and near the coast, the Higher regions enjoy a delightfully mild, dry, and equable climate, with an animal range of temperature scarcely exceeding 10°, and with especially salutary etTeet in eases of pulmonary diseases.
The chief industry of the island is agriculture.
The mountainous regions arc given up largely to pasture. while the plantations are found mostly in the lowlands. In 1900 there were over 178.000 acres under tillage. and about 380.000 under pasture. The sugar and coffee plantations each occupied about one-seventh of the total area under tillage; over 27.500 acres were under bananas. while over 124.000 acres were sown with guinea-grass. which is fed to cattle. The cultiva tion of sugar has greatly declined of late, owing largely to the con of bect-sugar, and it Las peen replaced partly by the cultivation of fruit. especially bananas. The chief agricultural coffee, tobacco, and sugar. Dye-woods are also produced to some extent. The land is divided into small holdings. those of five acres and less numbering over 72,000 out of the total number of about 80,000. The mann indnstries are undeveloped. The chief industrial establishments are the sup r-mills, oil-presses. tanneries. etc.
The animal exports of the colony show an in crease during the period of 1879-1900 from El. :157.530 ($11,(305,741 ) to £1,868,079 ( $9,090,072 ) , and the imports from E1,347,342 ($6,556,166) to i1,806.865 ($8.792.205) during the same period. The trade is chiefly with the United States, t:reat Britain, and Canada. The imports from the States increased from 31.4 per cent.. in 1579 to 45.1 per cent. in 1899; the share of Great Britain fell off during the same period from 50.9 per cent. to 44.7, and that of Canada from about 14 per cent. to 7.1 per cent. The exports of the colony show the same tendency: the United States led with 59 per cent. in 1899, against 14.9 por cent. in 1879, the share of (lrent Britain having declined from 7:3.2 per cent. to 20 per cent. during the same period. The chief exports are fruit, sugar, rum. coffee. .dye-wood, and pimento. The proportion of sugar in the exports of the colony shows a decline from 30.6 per cent. in 1879 to 9.8 in 1899; that of rum from 1 1.4 per cent. in 1879 to 6.1 in 1899; coffee declined from 18.3 per cent.. to 10.5 during the same period: while fruit showed an inerease from 2.9 per cent. to 41.4 during the same period. The imports are composed chiefly of textiles, fish. and dour.