On the southern slopes of the Jamaican Blue Mountains reside several million tons of gypsum. Used primarily in cement production and building materials, gypsum is an extremely common mineral. Many homeowners will be familiar with gypsum, as it is used in drywall. Gypsum has many other uses, including lawn fertilizer, blackboard chalk, and as a coagulant for tofu. Since it is also used to create cement, some of Jamaica’s local gypsum no doubt finds its way into one of the many all inclusive resorts in Jamaica. Just like some of the other industries in Jamaica, gypsum mining is not very exciting, and certainly doesn’t get your pulse up like some of the premier clubs around the island. But it is also industry like this that creates the backbone for Jamaica, and helps create jobs for its inhabitants and encourages trade among other countries.
While agriculture is not as large in Jamaica as in some other countries, it does supply a good deal of jobs. Workers are needed for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. These crops include pumpkins, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, corn, rice, yams, potatoes, and plantains. Sugar is the leading export crop, and a good deal of coffee and cocoa are also produced. Jamaican coffee, and in particular Blue Mountain coffee enjoys a premium price point and has status as one of the most expensive coffees in the world. The best part is you don’t need to take an all inclusive Jamaica vacation to try the coffee. You’ll pay a hefty price, but you can even order this mild roast over the internet and have it shipped around the world right to your door.
Of course, Jamaica was not always Jamaica. Christopher Columbus actually landed on the island in 1494 and claimed the land for Spain. He named the island Santiago. The inhabitants of the island at the time, the Arawak natives, were exterminated by the Spanish, and the island came under Spanish rule. This lasted until 1655, when British forces seized control of the island. Needing a source of labor for sugar and coffee cultivation, the British brought African slaves to Jamaica. Despite numerous slave rebellions and uprisings, this period lasted for nearly 150 years, until the abolition of slavery in 1834. For those that visit Jamaica for a Caribbean beach wedding, it’s hard to believe that at one time this beautiful country participated in the slave trade. Thankfully those days are long past, and all that remains are good times, good food, and good people.
Source by Alice Lane