Obedience to the British crown and piety: 10+ facts about Jamaica you didn't know

The Caribbean country of Jamaica has long been a favorite destination for European and American tourists. People come here primarily because of the good weather, incredible beaches and always smiling people. The local atmosphere enchants you from the first minutes on the island, and the loud festivals and street musicians will stay in your heart for a long time. But there are so many things that foreigners still don't know about. This needs to be rectified urgently.

- The name of the country comes from the word "Haimaka", which means "Land of Springs" in Arawak Indian language. This name was not unfounded. Generous nature awarded the island with a large number of forests, reservoirs, incredible beaches, of which there are more than 70, and always summer weather. Even in winter, the air temperature rarely drops below 25 degrees Celsius. Thanks to this, tourists come to Jamaica all the time. By the way, most foreigners choose for vacation hotels near the beach Alligator Pond. Despite the name, there are no alligators here. Just here are hills that resemble the backs of these animals.

- Jamaica was long a Spanish and then a British colony. However, it was the first country in the Caribbean to gain independence. It happened in 1962. And although the state now independently disposes of all matters, it is constitutionally governed by the monarch of Great Britain. But this is a formality that has long had nothing to do with reality.

- This country has a long and interesting history. In the 17th century it was ruled by pirates, who set up their capital on the island - Port Royal. Ships of even large countries with their own military fleets dared not approach the island. And it was an earthquake that destroyed the city. The Spanish, who suffered the most from the pirates' attacks, believed that this was God's punishment and that God himself had destroyed the "nest of vice".

- Jamaica has a very large number of athletes. Despite the small size of the state, it actively participates in summer and even winter Olympic Games. And also here was born the fastest man on the planet - Usain Bolt, whose name is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

- Representatives of Jamaica annually join the Miss World contest. In terms of the total number of victories in this tournament, they are in fourth place. They are surpassed by girls from Great Britain, Venezuela and India.

- An amazing fact: more twins are born in this country than anywhere else in the world. Scientists have long been trying to find the cause of such a phenomenon, but so far without success. By the way, the island has the highest percentage of large families in the world.

- The inhabitants of the island are very religious. Most of them practice Christianity in various forms. Here it is quite common to pray before meals or before school starts. No wonder this country has the highest number of churches per capita. Be sure to visit at least one of them during your trip.

- Jamaica is home to many styles of music. This is due to the fact that Spanish, British and African cultures intertwined on the island, which influenced the lives of the local population. Soul, dub, ska, calypso and reggae were born here. The latter was made popular by a native of this country, Bob Marley. Murals and posters with his image you will see here at every turn. He is rightly considered the most popular person of this state.

- At the age of 18, Jamaican citizens become adults, but this does not open up all opportunities for them. For example, it is possible to get married here only after reaching the age of 34. But there are no restrictions on alcohol consumption. Do not be surprised if you see a 6-year-old boy drinking with grown men in the middle of the street.

- The light-hearted attitude to alcohol may be due to the fact that Jamaica has been making money from exporting this commodity for a very long time. Many centuries ago, the local rum was bought for big money by colonizers, and now the country is the main supplier of this drink to the United States and Europe.

- Jamaica is a very friendly country. This is confirmed by the local army, which has only a few dozen soldiers, a couple of helicopters and airplanes. 100% of the military of this country has never participated in hostilities.

- Despite the friendliness of the local population, Jamaica can be very dangerous for tourists, who regularly fall victim to robbers. It should not be forgotten that this country is quite poor and has many economic problems.

Earlier OBOZREVATEL told about little-known islands striking with their beauty.

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