The Earliest Inhabitants: The Dynamics of the Jamaican Taino
by Lesley-Gail Atkinson
by Lesley-Gail Atkinson
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Hills and Plateaus<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cockpit Country in <strong>the</strong> northwest is a fine example <strong>of</strong> karst topography<br />
(egg-box–shaped hills and valleys with many caves, formed as limestone was<br />
dissolved by acidic rain and groundwater). It has a mixture <strong>of</strong> wet evergreen<br />
forest and seasonally dry deciduous forest and is high in endemic species <strong>of</strong><br />
plants (more than one hundred) and animals. <strong>The</strong>re are many caves, and rivers<br />
that disappear into <strong>the</strong> ground and reappear fur<strong>the</strong>r downstream.<br />
A plateau is an area <strong>of</strong> relatively flat land on top <strong>of</strong> a range <strong>of</strong> hills or mountains.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Manchester Plateau is in <strong>the</strong> main central range. It consists <strong>of</strong><br />
rolling hills, with hillsides and valleys mostly planted or in pasture. Parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
area have been extensively mined for bauxite.<br />
Interior Valleys<br />
Major interior valleys include Lluidas Vale, St Thomas in <strong>the</strong> Vale, <strong>the</strong> Nassau<br />
Valley, Queen <strong>of</strong> Spain’s Valley and Cave Valley.<br />
Coastal Plains<br />
An almost continuous strip <strong>of</strong> coastal lowland surrounds Jamaica. On <strong>the</strong><br />
north coast <strong>the</strong>re is a narrow coastal plain – usually less than 2 km wide – with<br />
lush vegetation nurtured by plentiful rainfall from <strong>the</strong> prevailing nor<strong>the</strong>asterly<br />
trade winds. <strong>The</strong> south coast has a broad coastal plain, several kilometres wide<br />
in places, with a variety <strong>of</strong> ecotypes: semi-arid lands (for example, parts <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> St Thomas, St Ca<strong>the</strong>rine and St Elizabeth coastlines), dry limestone scrub<br />
forests (St Ca<strong>the</strong>rine, Clarendon and Manchester coasts), mangrove forests<br />
(St Thomas, Kingston Harbour, St Ca<strong>the</strong>rine, Clarendon, St Elizabeth and<br />
Westmoreland), herbaceous swamps (Black River Upper and Lower morasses,<br />
St Elizabeth, Negril Morass, Hanover and Westmoreland), and marsh forests<br />
(Black River Lower Morass and Westmoreland).<br />
Rivers<br />
Major north-flowing rivers include <strong>the</strong> Rio Grande, Wagwater, Martha Brae,<br />
White River and Great River. Major south-flowing rivers include <strong>the</strong> Black<br />
River (<strong>the</strong> largest river in <strong>the</strong> island, navigable for 40 km upstream), Plantain<br />
Garden, Rio Cobre, Rio Minho, Cabaritta, and Milk River (all <strong>of</strong> which are<br />
longer than 32 km).<br />
92 T HE E ARLIEST I NHABITANTS