- Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica
Westmoreland is the westernmost
parish inJamaica , 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 thecounty of Cornwall. The chief town and capital isSavanna-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,
riot s at the Fromesugar estate, changed the course of Jamaica's history. The changes that came in the wake of these riots led to universal adultsuffrage in 1944, as well as a newconstitution , which put Jamaica on the road toself government and eventuallyindependence . The two national heroes,Sir Alexander Bustamante andNorman Washington Manley , emerged as political leaders during this time.Geography
Westmoreland has an area of 807
square kilometres (311 squaremile s), making it Jamaica's eighth largest parish. Westmoreland's population of 141,000 is made up of a large percentage ofIndia ns, 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) ofmorass 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 aspeat , an excellent source of energy, and it also serves as a naturalsanctuary for Jamaicanwildlife . The remaining area consists of several hills of moderate elevation, and alluvialplain s 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
ton s. Other rivers include theNegril 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 , mainlysugarcane , which offers direct employment. Other agricultural products includebanana s,coffee ,ginger ,cocoa ,pimento ,honey ,rice , andbreadfruit .Pastoralism is also practised; the rearing ofcattle ,horses , andmule s, as well asfishing —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 maintourist destination s in Jamaica. Since the 1950s,tourism has been the single fastest growing sector. The majorhotel s are Sandals Negril, Poinciana Beach Resort, Grand Lido, Hedonism II, and Negril Beach Club."Royal" is a term used to refer to a person of mixed East-Indian and African ancestry.
Places in Westmoreland
*
Negril
* Petersfield
*Roaring River Park
*Savanna-la-Mar
*Mayfield Falls References
* [http://www.jamlib.org.jm/westmoreland_history.htm Parish Information]
* [http://www.discoverjamaica.com/gleaner/discover/geography/polgol.htm Political Geography of Jamaica]
* [http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/W/W02554-westmoreland.html Westmoreland]External links
* [http://www.golocaljamaica.com/readarticle.php?ArticleID=191 Go Local Jamaica]
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