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19 Temmuz 2018 Perşembe

60 Interesting Facts About Jamaica


Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles. While many people associate Jamaica with coconuts, rum, and lilting accents, the country has a lot more to offer. With these 60 interesting facts about Jamaica, let’s learn more about its history, culture, people, flag, reggae music, and some weird and funny facts.

Interesting facts about Jamaica you probably didn’t know

1. The original inhabitants of Jamaica cultivated corn and yams. Today, Jamaica is famous for cultivating sugar cane, bananas, and mangoes, none of which are indigenous.
2. Jamaica produces Blue Mountain Coffee, a highly sought-after and expensive coffee that is popular across the globe. It is one of the rarest coffees in the world.
3. In 1988, Jamaica was the first tropical country to send a bobsledding teamto the Winter Olympics (Bobsledding – a winter sport in which teams of two or four teammates make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled. The timed runs are combined to calculate the final score.)
4. Jamaica is home to over 200 species of exotic orchid, 73 of which are indigenous.
5. With 3 winners and 3 runners-up in the Miss World competitions, Jamaica truly does boast some of the most beautiful women in the world.
6. In 1994, Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to launch a website – www.jamaicatravel.com.
7. Jamaican, Kool Herc, is responsible for starting rap and hip-hop music. Google celebrated the 44th Anniversary of the Birth of Hip Hop with a Doodle on their home page on August 11, 2017.



Dr Kool Herc
Herc spins records in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx at a 28 February 2009 event addressing the “West Indian Roots of Hip-Hop.” Image Credit – Wikipedia.org

8. Established in Jamaica in 1865, The Manchester Golf Club is the oldest in the western hemisphere.
9. Despite being predominantly Christian, Jamaica’s Jewish residents are among the oldest on the island.
10. The “healing waters of Jamaica” are made up of several natural mineral baths and hot springs that are thought to have therapeutic properties.



The “healing waters of Jamaica”
A spring of water with some healing properties as believed by many. Image source

11. Surprisingly, Rastafarians make up less than 5% of the total Jamaican population.
12. AT&T copied Jamaica’s telephone system.
13. While it may be widely spoken, Jamaican Creole or Patois is not a written language.
14. Jamaica’s Kingston Harbor is the seventh-largest natural harbor in the world.
15. Jamaica has one of the highest numbers of rum bars per square mile – a pleasant surprise for many visiting rum connoisseurs.
16. Cranberry is a sought-after luxury item in Jamaica.
17. Jamaica has more multiple live births (wherein the mother delivers two or more offspring.) than any other country in the world.



Triplet Boys
Identical triplets are extremely rare. Image credit – Wikipedia.org

18. In 1688, Jamaica was the first British colonial territory to establish a postal service.
19. Reciting The Lord’s Prayer is a mandatory part of the morning proceedings in all public schools.
20. Jamaica was the first commercial producer of bananas in the Western world.
21. Chicken is probably the true favorite among Jamaican meat eaters.
22. Jamaica is home to the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt.



Jamaica facts: Bolt after winning his fourth 200 m world title.
Bolt after winning his fourth 200 m world title in 2015 Beijing World Championships. Image credit – Erik van Leeuwen

23. Back in the late 1400s, Christopher Columbus referred to Jamaica as “the fairest isle that eyes ever beheld”.
24. Jamaica is among the happiest places in the world.
25. Milk River Bath is known to be the most radioactive mineral spa in the world.

10 Facts About Jamaican Culture

26. The most common greeting in Jamaica is a firm handshake accompanied by direct eye contact and a genuinely warm smile. Once they have been properly acquainted and a friendship has struck, women will hug and kiss on each cheek, starting from the right.
27. In Jamaican culture, it is appropriate to wait until invited before using a new acquaintance’s first name.
28. Table manners in Jamaica are “Continental”. This means that the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right. Meals are generally served buffet style, with guests serving themselves from a bountiful spread. It is considered polite to have a taste of everything offered, and finishing every item on one’s own plate is a mark of good manners.
29. The island of Jamaica has one of the highest numbers of churches per capita in the world.
30. The family is of the utmost importance and includes a close-knit web of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.
31. Trust (or rather, a distrust of those in authority) is a major part of Jamaican culture. Jamaicans would rather place their faith in friends and family than trust any person with “official” status. For example, they prefer to form a “partner” with friends and family rather than go to a bank to secure a financial loan.
32. Due to the fact that its inhabitants stem from all four corners of the world, Jamaican cuisine is quite literally a melting pot of many culinary influences. The country’s national dish is Ackee and Saltfish, with jerk chicken, curried goat or mutton, and oxtail with broad beans bringing up the rear.
33. Despite the many hardships faced by Jamaicans, in general, they are a laid back people. The popular phrase, “No Problem Mon,” or some variation thereof is a fairly accurate summary of the Jamaican attitude.
34. Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean. Although the national language of Jamaica is English, most people speak Patois, an English-based Creole language with strong West African influences.
35. The Hon. Louise Bennett Coverly (Miss Lou) is often thought of as Jamaica’s cultural hero. She played a large role in the promotion of Patois as a legitimate (and celebrated) means of communication.

10 Facts About Jamaica’s History

36. In 1962, Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to gain independence from the United Kingdom.
37. Despite claiming independence, Jamaica chose to remain a member of the Commonwealth. Therefore, Queen Elizabeth II is still their head of state.
38. In 1845, 20 years after the first railway was built in Great Britain, Jamaica was the first Western country, outside of Europe and North America, to construct railway lines.
39. The original inhabitants of Jamaica were the Taino. Unfortunately, once conquered by Spain, the Taino came desperately close to extinction due to slavery and disease.
40. During the 19th century, many Spanish and British countries helped populate Jamaica with freed African slaves. Today, many people are direct descendants of these first settlers.
41. In 1997, Jamaica made history by becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean country to qualify for the World Cup.
42. Rum, the national drink of Jamaica, has been an important part of the country’s history since the 17th century.
43. Jamaica’s national motto, “Out of Many, One people,” was made official in 1962.
44. The national flag of Jamaica is one of two in the world that have no colors in common with the U.S. flag. Wondering which one is the other? It is Mauritania’s flag.
45. Jamaica was the first country to take a stand and officially impose economic sanctions against the former Apartheid regime of South Africa.

Flag of Jamaica




Flag of Jamaica
The National flag of Jamaica. Source – CIA

5 Facts About Tourism in Jamaica

46. Whenever they leave the country, tourists are required to pay a $22 departure tax.
47. As the base of its economy, tourism is the most important industry in Jamaica.
48. Jamaicans are big on hospitality, which is why two of the country’s airports have VIP lounges to welcome tourists with that authentic Jamaican vibe.
49. There are 50 public beaches dotted around the island that are open to tourists. The most famous of these are Negril and Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay.
50. Over the last few years, Jamaica has consistently been ranked among the top five of the world’s top tourist destinations.

5 Reggae Music Facts

51. Bob Marley’s “Legend” is the highest selling reggae record of all time.
52. Worth a whopping $22 million, Shaggy is the richest living reggae artist. If Bob Marley were still alive, analysts predict that he would be worth $130 million.
53. Reggae was developed almost by accident in Kingston after rocksteady, which came about after ska.
54. Since its invention, Reggae has been a vessel for musicians to express political and social views. It has been tied to the Rastafari movement for many years.
55. There are more than 200 reggae festivals around the world each year.

Map of Jamaica

5 Fun Facts About Jamaica for Kids

56. In Jamaica, they drive on the left side of the road.
57. There are only 8 species of snake indigenous to Jamaica and none of them are venomous.
58. Port Royal in Jamaica used to be called ‘The wickedest city on Earth’.
59. Ian Flemming wrote all 14 James Bond novels while he was living in Jamaica.
60. The second main indigenous people of Jamaica were the Arawak. They called this island “Xaymaca” which means “Land of Wood and Water”.

Jamaica – country at a glance

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50 Facts About Romania That Are Worth Knowing

50 Facts About Romania That Are Worth Knowing




Last updated on November 17th, 2017
There is much to see and do in Romania, from its beautiful Carpathian Mountains to lush fertile plains, flowing rivers and plentiful lakes. Virgin forests, rich flora and fauna, a bevy of brown bears and ancient caves and bones attract tourists and locals alike. Let us gather more information about Romania through these 50 facts that talk about its history, culture, people, economy, geography; and some interesting facts.

History of Romania

#1. The first written record of people inhabiting the region of what is today Romania was in 513 BC. The kingdom of Dacia endured invasions by Goths, Avars, Huns, Magyars and Bulgars during its centuries of existence as a Roman protectorate.
#2. After the end of Mongul rule in the 15th century, its history involved two Romanian principalities, Moldavia and Walachia, and Transylvania, which was a Hungarian dependency most of the time. The princes who ruled the first two became vassals of the Ottoman Empire until all three were united under the rule of Michael the Brave in 1601.
#3. The next year (1602) Transylvania became independent again and the princes of Moldavia and Walachia made an ill-fated alliance with Russia’s Peter I that led to Turkish domination of the country. By the end of the 1828-29 Russo-Turkish War, with Russian forces occupying the two provinces, they remained in the Ottoman Empire but became Russian protectorates.
#4. During the Crimean War in 1854 Russian troops finally evacuated Walachia and Moldavia and the Congress of Paris (1856) at the end of the war established them as principalities back under Turkish rule. Transylvania is still part of Hungary. The election of Cuza as the prince of both of them prepared the way for the official union of Moldavia and Walachia as Romania (1861-62). Constantin Maruzi was the first Prime Minister.
#5. King Carol I became ruler in 1866 after Cuza was deposed in a coup. During his reign the country established an Air Force and its first oil refinery and Bram Stoker published “Dracula” based on Vlad Tepes. He is followed by his nephew King Ferdinand I.

Flag of Romania


Flag of Romania
The National flag of Romania. Image credit – CIA

#6. With the start of World War I Romania joined Britain, Russia and France against Germany and Austria-Hungary. After it ended, in 1918 Romania took Transylvania away from Hungary and Bessarabia (taken away by Russia in 1812) became one with Romania again. The West recognized all these changes in the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. Romania also became a founding member of The League of Nations the same year.
#7. In 1927 King Ferdinand died and his grandson became King Mihai I. The Iron Guard, a Fascist group, was also formed. The 1930s was a decade of political change and unrest as the Nazis rose to power in Germany and the Bolsheviks revolted in Russia. World War II saw Romania bombed by both the Allies and Germany.
#8. After the war, the Communists gained control of Romania by election fraud. In 1955 Romania joined the Warsaw Pact and the United Nations. The Soviet Union withdrew its army in 1958 after 14 years of Romanian occupation. Then Nicolae Ceauşescu came to power and ruled Romania with an iron hand, spending lavishly on a national palace and government building for himself and the government while his people starved.
#9. Under Ceauşescu, Romania became the first Eastern Bloc country to ever establish economic relations with the European Community. He moved the economy from an agrarian one to an industrial one by force. Finally, protests broke out in Romania in December of 1989 and a speech by the leader was interrupted by rioters. The revolution ends four decades of Communist control of Romania; Ceauşescu and his wife are executed. Romania was the only country in the Warsaw Pact to end its communist reign through violence and overthrow the government by force.
#10. Romania went through a difficult transition from Communism to having a democratic government and a market economy. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. It also received an economic bailout from the International Monetary Fund in 2009 to save it during a severe recession. Today Klaus Iohannis is the democratically elected President of Romania.

Facts about Romania’s geography and economy

#11. Located in the southeastern part of Central Europe, Romania shares borders with the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine as well as sits on the Black Sea on its southeastern edge. The Danube River, after traveling through eight countries, flows into the Black Sea in Romania and creates the Danube Delta, one of the most biodiverse and stable wetlands in the world.

Geographical location of Romania


Facts about Romania
Romania on map with neighboring countries

#12. The Carpathian Mountains, also known as the Transylvanian Alps, make up around a third of the country. The hills and plateaus that are rich with vineyards and orchards occupy about 36 percent of the country. The final third is Romania’s fertile plains, the “breadbasket” of the region. Forests abound and there are over 3,000 lakes plus many rivers and streams. Some of the lakes are glacial lakes.
#13. The Carpathian Mountains are divided into three different major ranges. These are the Eastern, or Oriental, Carpathians, the Western Carpathians, and the Southern Carpathians, which are also called the Transylvanian Alps. Their landscapes include terrains such as karstic, volcanic and glacial. They offer great recreational activities, including hiking, mountain biking, mountain climbing and river-rafting. Skiing is also popular at resorts like Lake Balea, Paltinis and Sinaia.
#14. The Scarisoara glacier is underneath the Bihor Mountains. More the 3,500 years old, it is Europe’s second largest underground glacier.
#15. The Black Sea Coast in Romania occupies a little over 150 miles. With its sandy beaches, cooling waters and low tide, the area is a major tourist attraction from May until September. The beaches in the Danube Delta actually expand into the sea by about 65 feet each year. The Delta is a UNESCO Biosphere Reservation and a protected natural habitat and wetland for rare species of animals and plants.
#16. Forests cover approximately one quarter of Romania, with oak, elm, maple, beech, ash and linden as well as conifers like pine, fir, spruce and larch filling them. Almost 34,000 different species of animals can be found in the country, including deer, lynx, wolves, the largest of all chamois species and over 6,000 European brown bears, the last remaining in the continent.
#17. The Danube River is used for domestic shipping as well as tourist cruises and international trade. Since the end of Communism in Romania, tourism has been an ever-growing industry. In fact, it is one of the least expensive places to visit and travel in all of Europe.
#18. Romania’s industries include petrochemical, chemical, metal processing, machine manufacturing, textiles, transport and industrial equipment, lumber and furniture. The country produces natural gas, coal, petroleum, salt and iron ore as well. The land is blessed with significant oil reserves and some of the largest gold deposits in all of Europe.
#19. Agricultural products include corn, sunflower and vegetable oil seeds, wheat, sugar beets, apples and wine grapes. The livestock produced include sheep, pigs, cows and chickens. Romania is the ninth largest wine producer in the world.
#20. Since the end of Communism, Romania’s governments have been working on turning their economy into a market one. Two long-term programs are under development: fisheries and forestry.

Romanian cultural facts

#21. The great majority of the population of Romania are Romanians, followed by Hungarians and a very small percentage (less than two percent) Vlax Romani or Roma (gypsies).
#22. The name Romania comes from the Latin word ‘Romanus’ or citizen of Rome, a legacy from the days when the Romans controlled ancient Dacia. Romanian is the country’s official language and it is 1,700 years old.
#23. Based on old Latin, Romanian is a Romance language, like those of Greece, Germany, France, Spain, and Turkey. It contains words from these languages as well, plus some from its surrounding Slavic languages. It is the only Romance language spoken in Eastern Europe and because it’s a phonetic language, words are pronounced just as they are spelled.
#24. Romanians are a hospitable and generous people. Foreigners who try to speak Romanian will get positive reactions from the locals, who appreciate the effort you have made. Guests are always offered food.
#25. National pride in Romania’s resilience and ability to withstand all the attacks it has survived is part of the population’s national identity. Romanians are a poor people presently, with unemployment at 11 percent and their standard of living below that of most of Western Europe. But they are a hard-working people as well.
Continue reading on the next page…
 One of the world’s largest populations of Roma lives in Romania. Still facing discrimination today, the Roma have been persecuted throughout history in Europe. Many have left in order to improve their lives, as the Roma have a high rate of unemployment, poverty and malnutrition. They stand out anywhere in the country in their brightly colored clothing, women in flowing skirts and men with white shirts and colorful sashes.
#27. Romanians in the urban areas wear Western-style clothing. Those in rural areas sometimes still wear more traditional clothing. Women wear wool vests and skirts with embroidery that varies according to a woman’s region. Men wear pants with a belt and white shirts. Hairstyles of women can indicate their marital status. Unmarried ones braid their hair while married women cover their heads with a naframa (head cloth).
#28. The Romanians’ largest meal of the day is eaten early in the afternoon. Breakfast is typically bread with jam and butter with tea. Lunch may start with an appetizer of Mitiei (grilled sausage with garlic) followed by a soup, such as Borsch (cabbage soup) or Ciorba (lamb, vegetables and mushrooms). Main dishes are usually of meat with vegetables served for side dishes. Dessert may be placinte (pie) or baklava (nut and honey pastry). Tuica (plum brandy) is popular too.
#29. Romania has seven UNESCO World Heritage sites. These include: the Dacian Fortress of the Orastie Mountains; the Churches of Modavia; the Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania; the Churches of Moldavia; and the Wooden Churches of Maramures among others.
#30. Some notable Romanians who have made a difference in the world include: Henri Coandra (invented the modern jet engine); Nicolae Paulescu (discovered insulin); Eugen Pavel (inventor of Hyper CD-ROM; and Petrache Poenaru (inventor of the fountain pen).

Romania facts for Kids

#31. The flag of Romania consists of blue, yellow and red vertical stripes. These stripes represent Transylvania, Moldavia and Walachia, the three historic components of the combined country of Romania.
#32. Transylvania (which means ‘land beyond the forest’) was the home of Vlad the Impaler who inspired Bram Stoker’s novel, “Dracula”.
#33. One of the stars of the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics was fourteen year old Romanian Nadia Comăneci, a gymnast. During the team competition, the score for her stunningly perfect routine on the uneven parallel bars was displayed as a 1 on the scoreboard. The crowd quickly learned that Nadia had scored a ten, the first perfect score ever awarded in gymnastics, and the scoreboard had no zero for it. She would continue on to be awarded six more perfect tens in the same games as well as three gold medals.
#34. Romania is situated halfway between the North Pole and the equator.
#35. The capital of Romania is Bucharest, also spelled Bucuresti.

15 Interesting facts about Romania

#36. In a very remote area in Romania’s Apuseni National Park, cave drawings were discovered that are around 32,000 years old. The 13 drawings of rhinos, buffalos, horses, and cats are in the Coliboaia cave. Experts believe the drawings are very well preserved because this area is not subject to flooding.
#37. In the Pestera cu Oase (“Cave with Bones”) a human fossil was discovered in 2002 that is estimated to be between 37,800 to 42,000 years old, the earliest dated European human fossil.
#38. The tallest rock sculpture in Europe is located in Romania. The statue of Dacian king Decebal is 135 feet tall and is carved in a rocky bank near the Danube.
#39. An earthquake with a 7.4 magnitude occurred in Romania in March 1977. The quake killed more than 1,500 people and injured 11,000 more. Damages were estimated at over $2 billion dollars.
#40. In the city of Brad is The Gold Museum, also known as the Mineralogical Collection of Brad. The only one of its kind in Europe, it was founded 100 years ago and has a collection of over 2,000 pieces of gold from all around the world.
#41. The world’s largest salt mine museum is in Transylvania inside the old Turda Salt Mines. These massive mines were formed by machine and hand without using explosives.
#42. Pele Castle was Europe’s first castle lit entirely by electrical current. The castle’s own plant produced the electricity. Still functional and used today, the castle’s central heating system was built in 1888.
#43. The first city in Europe to have electric street lights was Timisoara, Romania (1889).
#44. In 1986, Steaua Bucureşti (Bucharest’s soccer team) won the European Cup. They are the only team from a Communist country to ever do so.
#45. The second largest building in the world is the Romanian Palace of Parliament. It is second only to the Pentagon in the United States.
#46. Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” is not the only famous novel inspired by Romania. So was Jules Verne’s “The Castle in the Carpathians”.
#47. Bucharest is home to thousands of stray dogs. Approximately 10,000 people are bitten by these abandoned dogs every year. Be careful and watch where you step.
#48. Near the Ukrainian border is the Merry Cemetery. Local woodcarver Stan Ion Patras designed it in 1940 and it is both tourist destination and open-air museum. Known for its colorful carved wooden crosses painted with scenes of the deceased’s life, each tombstone features a funny poem about the decedent. It is said to be the happiest cemetery on earth.
#49. Prince Charles of Great Britain loves the beauty of Romania and admires the spirit of her people. He visits often and owns land in Transylvania.
#50. Instituted on January 1, 2011, Romania implemented a black magic tax. Witches and fortune tellers are recognized in the country as legitimate business people. As such, they are subject to taxes. Witches must carry a permit with them as well.
From the flowing Danube to the soaring Carpathian Mountains, Romania is a beautiful country with many interesting sites and towns to visit.

Romania – country at a glance

References:
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Romanian_history
  • http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/romania-history.html
  • http://www.localhistories.org/rumania.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Romanian
  • http://romaniatourism.com/
  • http://truenomads.com/2013/12/interesting-facts-about-romania/
  • http://travelaway.me/things-you-didnt-know-about-romania/
  • http://listverse.com/2013/11/21/revised-10-interestingawesome-facts-about-romania/
  • http://www.stefanrtw.com/interesting-facts-about-romania/
  • http://www.romania-insider.com/25-interesting-facts-about-romania/
  • https://www.justlanded.com/english/Romania/Romania-Guide/Culture/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-Romania
  • http://www.romaniaexperience.com/fun-facts-about-romania-things-you-certainly-didnt-know/
  • http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Romania.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania

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60 Interesting Facts About Jamaica

Jamaica  is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles. While many ...