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Cars 4 Rental Information on Jamaica
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General
Area:
10,991 sq km (4244 sq miles).
Population:
2,624,700 (2002).
Population Density:
238.8 per sq km (2002).
Capital:
Kingston. Population: 697,000 (1994).
GEOGRAPHY:
Jamaica is the third-largest island in the West Indies and is a narrow outcrop of a submerged mountain range. The island is crossed by a range of mountains reaching 2256m (7402ft) at the Blue Mountain Peak in the east and descending towards the west with a series of spurs and forested gullies running north and south. Most of the best beaches are on the north and west coasts. The island’s luxuriant tropical and subtropical vegetation is probably unsurpassed anywhere in the Caribbean.
Government:
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1962. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor General Howard Cooke since 1991. Head of Government: Prime Minister Percival J Patterson since 1992.
Language:
The official language is English. Local patois is also spoken.
Religion:
Protestant majority (Anglican, Baptist, Church of God and Methodist) with Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Bahai communities. Rastafarianism, a religion based on belief in the divinity of the late Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari), is also widely practised.
Time:
GMT - 6.
Electricity:
110 volts AC, 60Hz, single phase. American two-pin plugs are standard, but many hotels offer, in addition, 220 volts AC, 50Hz, single phase, from three-pin sockets.
Communications:
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 1 876. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 011.
Mobile telephone
As of 2003, GSM 1900 network. TDMA network, non-GSM compatible. The networks are Digicel (website: www.digiceljamaica.com) and Cable & Wireless Jamaica LTD.
Fax
This service is available daily from 0700-1000 at the Cable & Wireless office in Kingston. Widely available in most hotels and offices.
Internet
There are several free Internet kiosks at shopping centres in Kingston. Internet cafes exist mainly in the Kingston area. Internet is also available in many hotels and parish libraries. ISPs include Cable & Wireless (website: www.cwjamaica.com), Infochannel Ltd (website: www.infochan.com) and Jamaica Online (website: www.jol.com.jm).
Telegram
Facilities are widely available.
Post
Airmail to Europe takes up to 4 days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630.
Press
Daily papers are The Daily Gleaner, The Daily Star and The Jamaica Observer.
Radio:
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
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Money
Currency:
Jamaican Dollar (J$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of J$1000, 500, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of J$20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 25 and 10 cents.
Currency exchange:
Money can be exchanged at the airport as well as at banks, hotels and bureaux de change. Receipts must be retained, as changing money on the black market is illegal. There are ATMs all over the island.
Credit & debit cards:
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Travellers cheques:
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
Currency restrictions:
The import and export of local currency is prohibited; that of foreign currency is unrestricted, subject to declaration.
Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Jamaican Dollar against Sterling and the US Dollar:
| Date | Nov ’03 | Feb ’04 | May ’04 | Aug ’04 | | £1.00= | 101.51 | 109.47 | 106.99 | 112.47 | | $1.00= | 59.82 | 60.14 | 59.90 | 61.05 |
Banking hours:
Mon-Thurs 0900-1400, Fri 0900-1200 and 1430-1700.
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Health
| | Special Precautions | Certificate Required | | Yellow Fever | No | 1 | | Cholera | No | No | | Typhoid and Polio | No | N/A | | Malaria | No | N/A |
1:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.
Food & drink:
Mains water is normally chlorinated and, whilst relatively safe, may cause mild abdominal upsets. Bottled water is available. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat. Hepatitis A occurs.
Other risks:
Hepatitis A occurs.
There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and precautions should be undertaken to avoid exposure.
Health care:
Health insurance is recommended, since medical treatment can be expensive. There are 16 public and 6 private hospitals. Standards vary hugely.
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Climate
Tropical all year. Temperate in mountain areas. The rainy months are May and October, but showers may occur at any time. Hurricanes are prone during the rainy season, between June and November. Jamaica also lies within the earthquake zone. Cooler evenings.
Required clothing:
Lightweight cottons and linens; light woollens are advised for evenings. Avoid synthetics. Waterproofing is necessary all year round.
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Passport
| | Passport Required | Visa Required | Return Ticket Required | | British | Yes | No/2 | Yes | | Australian | Yes | No/3 | Yes | | Canadian | Yes | No/3 | Yes | | USA | No/1 | No/4 | Yes | | OtherEU | Yes | No/2 | Yes | | Japanese | Yes | No/5 | Yes |
PASSPORTS:
Valid passport required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of the USA holding a certified copy of a birth certificate and photo identification (eg driver’s licence or student ID).
Note: Jamaica does not recognise passports issued by the Palestinian Government.
VISAS:
Required by all except the following:
(a) 2. nationals of EU countries (nationals of the UK and Ireland for stays not exceeding 6 months; nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden for stays not exceeding 90 days); (
b) 3. nationals of Commonwealth countries for stays not exceeding 6 months (except nationals of Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka who do need visas);
(c) 4. nationals of the USA (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) for stays not exceeding 6 months;
(d) nationals of Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Mexico, Norway, San Marino, Surinam, Switzerland and Turkey for stays not exceeding 90 days;
(e) 5. nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Japan and Uruguay for stays not exceeding 30 days; (f) nationals of Venezuela for stays not exceeding 14 days.
All of the above must have evidence of sufficient funds and a return or onward-bound ticket for their next destination.
Note:
(a) Except for persons in certain categories, a Work Permit is required for a business visit. The Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy or High Commission) can advise. (b) Nationals of the following countries can obtain a visa on arrival, provided holding valid onward or return tickets and evidence of sufficient funds: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, CIS, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Monaco, Poland, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Taiwan. These visas cost US$25.
Types of visa and cost:
Entry and Transit: £25.
Application to:
Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy or High Commission); see Contact Addresses section.
Application requirements:
(a) One passport-size photo. (b) Valid passport. (c) Completed application form. (d) Fee, plus £5 for return postage. (e) Proof of travel itinerary and sufficient funds. (f) For student visas, a letter from institution. For Business visas, letter from company.
Working days required:
48 hours, but longer in cases where applications are referred to Immigration Authorities in Kingston.
Temporary residence:
Enquire at High Commission.
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Car Hire Jamaica
Cars 4 Rental can provide car hire vehicles in all the popular locations throughout Jamaica. Whatever your requirements Cars 4 Rental will be able to provide a car to meet your needs. Our hire cars can be equipped with many optional extras including child seats so that your car rental is ideally suited to your needs.
Hire a car in Jamaica
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