Interesting Facts on Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometers in length and as much as 80 kilometers in width located in the Caribbean Sea. It is the third most heavily populated Anglophone country in North America, after the United States and Canada. It remains a Commonwealth realm.
So, now let us discuss some interesting facts about this amazing country.

1. Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean and the perfect spot for a beach holiday. It is known as the "Little Jewel in the Caribbean" and has 120 lakes and rivers.
2. The majority of Jamaicans are Christian. Children learn about God and the bible at public school. They also have public prayer in school.
3. The head of government in Jamaica is the Prime Minister who is elected by the Jamaican people. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives.
4. The monetary preference in Jamaica is called Jamaican Dollar (JMD) and the exchange rate of Jamaican dollar to the US dollar is $60 to $1.
5. Jamaica is widely known for the Blue Mountain Coffee, the Jamaican National Bobsled Team, Bob Marley and Reggae Music, the Jerk Sauce, and most particularly, the astonishingly beautiful Beaches and the coral reefs.
6. Linford Christie, who is a former British sprinter, was born on April 2, 1960, in Saint Andrew, Jamaica. Linford Christie was one of the best sprinters in the 1980s and 1990s.
7. Jamaica is on the 3rd place on the list of countries to win the Miss World titles the most. The only countries to have won it more than Jamaica is India, Venezuela and the UK.
8. Jamaica became the second Caribbean country to elect a female prime minister. Her name: Portia Simpson-Miller. She was elected prime minister in 2006.
9. Jamaica was the first tropical country to enter the IOC Winter Olympics. The bobsleigh team's efforts inspired the film 'Cool Running'. The fastest man and woman are from this country only. They are Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson. Jamaica has more Olympic medals than Portugal, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Iceland, Singapore and Kuwait combined. It has competed in the Summer Olympic Games 15 times.
10. Jamaica has many idols: Marlene Ottey, Bob Marley, Grace Jones, Peter Tosh, Diana King, and Cheryl Lynn.
11. Jamaica was the first country in the Western world to construct a railway, even before the United States. This was only 18 years after Britain. It was also the first Caribbean country to gain independence.
12. Jamaica was the first colony England acquired by conquest. This was in the year 1655 when the Spanish were driven from the island. Another of the interesting facts on Jamaica is that it was the first British colonial territory to establish a postal service (in 1688).
13. Tessa Sanderson was the first British black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in the javelin competition.
14. Jamaica was the first commercial producer of bananas in the Western Hemisphere. It was also the first island in the Caribbean to produce rum on a commercial basis.
15. Jamaica was the first Caricom country to liberalize the telecommunications sector.
    

These are some of the most interesting and fun facts about the mesmerizing country, Jamaica.