With 2.8 million people,0 Jamaica is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas (after the United States and Canada), and the fourth most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the country's capital and largest city. Most Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities. Because of a high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, there is a large Jamaican diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The country has a global influence that belies its small size; it was the birthplace of the Rastafari religion, reggae music (and such associated genres as dub, ska and dancehall), and it is internationally prominent in sports, including cricket, sprinting, and athletics. Jamaica has sometimes been considered the world's least populous cultural superpower. (Full article...)
Jamaica first joined The World Bank Group (WBG) on 21 February 1963, when the island nation became a member of The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which lends to middle and low income nations. This occurred the same month as Jamaica joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and one year after declaring political independence. Since joining The World Bank, Jamaica has received in excess of $3 billion US Dollars in loans and grants. Jamaican Minister of Finance, Donald Sangster, led the Jamaican delegations to World Bank and International monetary Fund meetings between 1963 and 1966, while also serving as Governor of the World Bank and IMF. Sangster would go on to serve briefly as the Prime Minister of Jamaica.
By the end of 1988, Jamaica would join every agency within The World Bank Group except for the International development Association (IDA), the agency that provides interest free loans and grants to underdeveloped nations. As of December 2019, The World Bank has completed 91 project in Jamaica, with 10 additional projects currently active, project still pending approval. Jamaica and The World Bank have worked together to get out of the trend of low growth and high debt, a dangerous combination. These condition have resulted in high interest payments that have taken a toll on state budgets. Together that have developed a program that focuses on three strategic areas: "(i) public sector modernization; (ii) enabling environment for private sector growth; and (iii) social and climate resilience.". Since 2019, Jamaica and the World Bank have embarked on an aggressive reform project, which has included The World Bank providing upwards of $500 million US dollars towards development effort in Jamaica. (Full article...)
... that footballer Kameron Simmonds, who plays for Jamaica, only took up the sport after a gymnastics injury?
... that Rita Humphries-Lewin, a former chair of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, entered the industry as a secretary?
... that Swedish naval officer Axel Lagerbielke was imprisoned in Lima for over a year, held in Callao and eventually escaped from Panama on an English packet boat to Jamaica?
... that the Carib Theatre in Kingston, Jamaica, was the British West Indies' first building to offer air conditioning upon its opening?
Their sole appearance in the FIFA World Cup was in 1998, where the team finished third in its group and failed to advance. The team also competed in the Caribbean Cup winning six times. Jamaica also competes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, appearing thirteen times and finishing twice as runners-up to Mexico in 2015 and the United States in 2017. They were also invited to the Copa América in 2015 and 2016, being eliminated in the group stage on both occasions. Jamaica also qualified for the 2024 Copa América. (Full article...)
Selected cuisines, dishes and foods - show another
Fish soup with reef fish and coconut milk
Fish tea is a spicy soup in Caribbean cuisine and Jamaican cuisine. It is similar to a fish bouillon and can take several hours to prepare. It includes ground yam, pumpkin, cassava, potatoes and green bananas, cooked until very soft. As much as 15 pounds of fish is added to make five gallons. Carrots and cho–cho can also be added. It is flavored with coconut milk and seasoned with various ingredients that may include black pepper, salt, thyme, butter, scallion and season–all."
Fish tea is similar to traditional "rundown", but instead of chunks the ingredients are boiled until they are in a "soupy liquid form". Some believe it to be an aphrodisiac and it is associated with various legends and rumors: (Full article...)
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