Karma's First Blog Post: Introducing Jamaica

 Hi everyone! Welcome to my first blog post. :) 

Today I will be introducing you all to the country I chose to discuss throughout my blog this semester, which is Jamaica! The island country of Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, with an area of 4,244 square miles. It has lush, mountainous land which is home to four major mountain ranges: Don Figuero, the Blue, John Crow, and Cockpit Country. Also, a couple more interesting facts are that Jamaica itself actually sits on the summit of an underwater mountain called the Jamaica Ridge, and it is home to one of the largest butterflies in the world as well as 250 species of birds! 

Jamaica | History, Population, Flag, Map, Capital, & Facts | Britannica

11 Natural Attractions in Jamaica You Need to Visit | Liberty Travel

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Jamaica This Year! - Plan Your Perfect Vacation

Aside from introducing my chosen country, I will state the difference between hazards, disasters, and catastrophes that we learned from Chapter 1. Initially, a natural hazard is defined as a natural process or event that is a potential threat to human life and property. On the other hand, a disaster is a hazardous event that occurs over a limited time span within a defined area, and one of the following occurs: 

- 10 or more people are killed

- 100 or more people are affected 

- A state of emergency has been declared 

- International assistance is requested  

Lastly, we learned that a catastrophe is defined as a massive disaster that requires a significant amount of both time and money to recover from. For example, Hurricane Katrina which occurred back in 2005, which costed the United States at least $100 billion in damages! 

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