Peter Espeut LAST WEEK I asked seven questions on Jamaican geography to highlight how most of us Jamaicans are stuck in the old mindset that Jamaica is an island state rather than an archipelagic state (a state of islands).
I was pleased at the interest they provoked; I was stopped in the street and in restaurants and asked the answers; and I was even quizzed on Power 106 by my colleague deacon, Ronnie Thwaites.
HERE ARE THE ANSWERS
How many islands are there in the Jamaican archipelago, inhabited or otherwise?
I made it multiple choice: (a) less than 5 islands (b) 6-10 islands (c) 11-25 islands (d) 26-50 islands (e) more than 50 islands.
The correct answer is, of course, (e). By my reckoning (and I am still counting) there are about 60 named islands and cays in the Jamaican archipelago (do you know Dolphin Island, Christmas Island, Careening Cay, Emerald Isle, Hogsty Cay, Lilyroot Cay and Mango Cay?)
And how many are inhabited?
Well it depends on whether you consider Navy Island off Titchfield Point in Port Antonio to be inhabited.
There is a hotel there, and at night there will at least be a watchman.
Two of the Morant Cays and two of the Pedro Cays are permanently inhabited by fishers (which is why our territorial boundaries are drawn using these islands as the baseline); along with the island of Jamaica, that makes five permanently inhabited islands (six if you include Navy Island).
I do not count the transients on Big Half Moon Cay, Little Half-Moon Cay, Big Portland Cay and Pigeon Island (all in Portland Bight) to have established permanent residence.
And which is the second largest island in the Jamaican archipelago?
And the third?
I hope that most of you knew the answers: of course, they are Great Goat Island and Little Goat Island, near Old Harbour Bay.
Great Goat Island is very craggy, with quite a high peak which is visible from the Old Harbour Road, although I am sure most drivers think they are looking at part of the Hellshire Hills.
There was a US Naval Air Base on Little Goat Island during and after World II (from 1942-1949), the remnants of which may still be seen.
And which is the largest parish in Jamaica?
Unlike the above, this information is widely available: St. Ann, of course, at 1,212.6 square kilometres.
St. Elizabeth is the second largest parish (1,212.4 sq. km), Clarendon is third (1,196.3 sq. km) and St. Catherine is fourth (1,192.4 sq. km).
Maybe the reason colonial officials thought St. Catherine was the largest parish was because in 1867 (when we had 22 parishes) four parishes merged to form it; in no other case did more than two other parishes merge.
The above data show that it is always better to measure than to guess. (I know my readers know the names of the eight old parishes which disappeared by merger into others, so I won't ask).
And which is the longest river in Jamaica?
Not the Black River (53.4 km long) as we were told as children, but the Rio Minho (92.5 km) also on the south coast; it's not even close!
Again, maybe why it was believed that the Black River was longer is because it is navigable for quite a distance, while the Rio Minho is not.
Again, it is always better to measure than to guess.
By the way, which is the longest river on Jamaica's north coast?
Please don't say the Rio Grande!
And which is the highest mountain peak in Jamaica?
As children we were told that it was Blue Mountain Peak; recent measurements indicate that indeed Blue Mountain Peak is Jamaica's highest (at 2,256 metres).
I hope I didn't 'psych' anyone out on this one! And which is the second highest peak?
BOOK OF STATISTICS
The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) annually publishes a neat little 'Pocketbook of Statistics' which has lots of data on Jamaica the island; I commend it to anyone interested in this sort of thing; but don't look for information on any of the 60-odd other islands in the Jamaican state.
Since I have a few lines left, let me ask a few more questions, but you will have to find out the answers for yourself; next week I shall write about Emancipation.
1) Of Jamaica's five longest rivers, how many are on the north coast?
2) Which of these two towns lies furthest to the north: Port Antonio or Savanna-la-Mar?
3) Which is the highest school in Jamaica?
4) We know about Negril Point, Morant Point and Portland Point, but which is the northernmost point in Jamaica?
5) Which parish capital does not have a cenotaph (to remember the war dead), and why?
Have fun!
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and is executive director of an environment and development NGO.
