Jamaica Geography
Location
Jamaica is near the center of the Caribbean Sea; 18 degrees north and 78 degrees west.
Size
With an area of 4,411 square miles, Jamaica is the largest English speaking island in the Caribbean and is slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut in the United States.
Length :
146 miles from east to west.
Width :Its greatest width is 51 miles, from St. Ann’s Bay to Portland Point.
Closest neighbors
Cuba is 90 miles north and Haiti is 100 miles west.
Closest point in the Americas
Cartagena in Colombia is 445 miles almost due south. Miami is 571 from Kingston.
Climate
Tropical. Hot, Humid, temperate interior. Average temperature: 82° F Average rainfall: 78 inches/year
Lowest Point
The Caribbean Sea at sea level
Longest River
The Black River, Jamaica’s longest river, is flushed through the Great Morass, a swampy marshland that is the largest wetland habitat in the Caribbean.
Highest Point
The center of the island is mountainous with the highest point being the Blue Mountain Peak at 7,402 feet.
Chief Towns
The Island is surrounded by coastal plains, accounting for the many towns found along the coast. Chief towns include the capital city Kingston,Black River,Discovery Bay, Mandeville, Morant Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Spanish Town, and the city of Montego Bay.
Jamaicais divided into 3 counties and subdivided into 14 parishes.