Everything about Westmoreland Parish Jamaica totally explained
Westmoreland is the westernmost
parish in
Jamaica, located on the south side of the island. It is situated to the south of
Hanover, the southwest of
Saint James, and the northwest of
Saint Elizabeth, in the
county of
Cornwall. The chief town and capital is
Savanna-la-Mar.
Negril, a famous tourist destination, is also situated in the parish.
Brief history
Christopher Columbus stopped at Westmoreland on his second voyage when he landed in Jamaica. One of the first
Spanish settlements was also built at what is now
Bluefields in this parish.
The parish was named Westmoreland in 1703, because it was the most westerly point in the island.
Savanna-la-Mar, a town by the coast, replaced Banbury as the capital in 1730.
In 1938,
riots at the Frome
sugar estate, changed the course of Jamaica's history. The changes that came in the wake of these riots led to universal adult
suffrage in 1944, as well as a new
constitution, which put Jamaica on the road to
self government and eventually
independence. The two national heroes,
Sir Alexander Bustamante and
Norman Washington Manley, emerged as
political leaders during this time.
Geography
Westmoreland has an area of 807
square kilometres (311 square
miles), making it Jamaica's eighth largest parish. Westmoreland's population of 141,000 is made up of a large percentage of
Indians, who are the descendants of
Indentured Laborers who came to Jamaica from India to work after slavery. The descendants are known locally in the parish as "Royals" because of their Indian heritage.
There are over 10,000
acres (40 km²) of
morass land, the largest part of which is called the Great Morass. This contains plant and animal material collected over centuries. The morass can be mined as
peat, an excellent source of energy, and it also serves as a natural
sanctuary for Jamaican
wildlife. The remaining area consists of several hills of moderate elevation, and alluvial
plains along the coast.
There are numerous rivers in the parish. The Cabaritta River, which is 39.7 kilometres long, drains the George's Plain and can accommodate boats weighing up to eight
tons. Other rivers include the
Negril River, New Savanna, Morgan's, Gut, Smithfield, Bowens, Bluefields, Robins, Roaring, Great and Dean.
Commerce
As a result of the fertile plains, the parish thrives on
agriculture, mainly
sugarcane, which offers direct employment. Other agricultural products include
bananas,
coffee,
ginger,
cocoa,
pimento,
honey,
rice, and
breadfruit.
Pastoralism is also practised; the rearing of
cattle,
horses, and
mules, as well as
fishing —there are 19 fishing beaches with over 90 boats engaged in the industry. Manufacturing is the third largest sector. Manufactured items include food and drink,
tobacco, animal feeds,
textile and textile products.
Negril is one of the main
tourist destinations in Jamaica. Since the 1950s,
tourism has been the single fastest growing sector. The major
hotels are
Sandals Negril, Poinciana Beach Resort, Grand Lido,
Hedonism, and Negril Beach Club.
"Royal" is a term used to refer to a person of mixed East-Indian and African ancestry.
Places in Westmoreland
Further Information
Get more info on 'Westmoreland Parish Jamaica'.
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