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Jamaica

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Central & South American
Countries; Countries

   SOS Children works in Jamaica. For more information see SOS Children in
   Jamaica
                             Jamaica

   Flag of Jamaica Coat of arms of Jamaica
   Flag            Coat of arms
   Motto: Out of many, one people
   Anthem: Jamaica, Land We Love
   Royal anthem: God Save the Queen
   Location of Jamaica
   Capital
   (and largest city)    Kingston
                         17°59′N 76°48′W
    Official languages   English
   Government            Constitutional Parliamentary Democracy
    - Monarch            Elizabeth II
    - Governor-General   Kenneth Hall
    - Prime Minister     Portia Simpson-Miller
       Independence
    - From the UK        August 6, 1962
                              Area
    - Total              10,991 km² ( 166th)
                         4,244 sq mi
    - Water (%)          1.5
                           Population
    - July 2005 estimate 2,651,000 ( 138th)
    - Density            252/km² ( 49th)
                         653/sq mi
        GDP ( PPP)       2005 estimate
    - Total              $11.69 billion ( 131st)
    - Per capita         $4,300 ( 114th)
       GDP (nominal)     2005 estimate
    - Total              $9.730 billion ( 101st)
    - Per capita         $3,657 ( 79th)
        HDI  (2003)      0.738 (medium) ( 98th)
         Currency        Dollar ( JMD)
         Time zone       ( UTC-5)
       Internet TLD      .jm
       Calling code      + 1-876

   Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 240 kilometres
   (150  mi) in length and as much as 85 kilometres (50 mi) in width
   situated in the Caribbean Sea. It is 635 kilometres (391 mi) east of
   the Central American mainland, 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Cuba,
   and 180 kilometres (112 mi) west of the island of Hispaniola, on which
   Haiti and the Dominican Republic are situated. Its indigenous
   Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning
   either the "Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly
   a Spanish possession known as Santiago, then the British West Indies
   Crown colony of Jamaica. It is the third most populous Anglophone
   country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Jamaica is
   the largest English speaking island in the Carribean.

History

   The original Arawak or Taino people from South America first settled on
   the island between 1000 and 400 BC. Although some claim they became
   virtually extinct following contact with Europeans, others claim that
   some survived. Whatever the case the culture of the Arawaks are deeply
   evident and rooted in the food they eat, some of the words used in the
   dialects, the cultural medicine they practise and the art culture which
   remained and is now housed at the British Museums.

   Jamaica was claimed for Spain after Christopher Columbus first landed
   there in 1494. Columbus used it as his family's private estate. The
   British Admiral William Penn (father of William Penn of Pennsylvania)
   and General Venables seized the island in 1655. During its first 200
   years of British rule, post Spanish rule, Jamaica became one of the
   world's leading sugar exporting nations and produced over 77,000 tons
   of sugar annually between 1820 and 1824, which was achieved through the
   massive use of imported African slave labour. When this wasn't enough
   the British imported Indian and Chinese indentured servants in the
   early 1800s that remained in Jamaica from then until present day. Over
   it's 300 years of slavery the majority of the population is visible
   African in features while having some Euro-Asiatic, Afro-Middle Eastern
   and Native Indian roots and features, but undoubtedly a unique culture
   combining all of its slave and indentured population.

   By the beginning of the 19th century, the United Kingdom's heavy
   reliance on slavery resulted in blacks outnumbering whites by a ratio
   of almost 20 to one, leading to constant threat of revolt. Following a
   series of rebellions, slavery was formally abolished in 1834, with full
   emancipation from chattel slavery declared in 1838.

   In 1945, Sir Horace Hector Hearne became Chief Justice and Keeper of
   the Records in Jamaica and sat in the Supreme Court, Kingston between
   1945 and 1950/1951, going on to become Chief Justice in Kenya.

   Jamaica slowly gained increasing independence from the United Kingdom.
   In 1958, it became a province in the Federation of the West Indies, a
   federation among all of the British West Indies. Jamaica attained full
   independence by leaving the federation in 1962.

   Strong economic growth averaging about six percent per annum marked its
   first ten years of independence under conservative governments led
   successively by Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster
   and Hugh Shearer. The growth was fuelled by strong investments in
   bauxite/alumina, tourism, manufacturing industry and to a lesser extent
   the agricultural sector. However, the initial optimism of the first
   decade vanished following a change in Government in 1972. Jamaica
   lagged economically with its gross national product falling in 1980 to
   some twenty-five percent below the level previously obtained in 1972.
   Rising foreign and local debt accompanied by large fiscal deficits
   resulted in the invitation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
   financing from the USA and others, and the imposition of IMF austerity
   measures (with a greater than 25% interest rate per year).

   Economic deterioration continued into the early to the mid 1980s,(in a
   safe but financially struggling country) exacerbated by the closure of
   the first (Alpart) and third (Alcoa) largest aluminium producers,
   significant reduction in production by the second largest (Alcan), the
   exit of Reynolds Jamaica Mines Ltd from the Jamaican industry and
   reduced flows from tourism. During the 1980's Jamaica was still a
   prosperous country and HIV free. [The exchange rate was still
   approximately 8 USA dollars to 1 Jamaican dollar.] It would be tourism
   in the 1980's that would introduce HIV into Jamaica (information can be
   found in the countries health archives) and its surrounding
   "super-powers" that would plunge the country into deterioration
   further. While increased disease was being brought in and the wealthy
   were leaving Jamaica, this period also brought growth in the garment
   and tourism sectors (through American sweatshop labor and sex tourism)
   restoring growth averaging about four percent per year in the last half
   of the decade. Simultaneously its food economy was suffering as the US
   interrupted the monopoly of banana trade help the UK, yet pulling out
   of its purchasing power after interruption leaving the once
   agricultural nation in more financial strain.

   Today there is an influx of Colombians into Jamaica bringing increased
   cocaine smuggling. U.S. deportation of American-raised Jamaicans who
   commit crimes in America has lead to increased violence in Jamaica and
   increase rise in gangs. The ultimate result of this cycle of violence,
   drugs and poverty has been the brutal gun warfare seen on Kingston's
   streets from the mid-1990s onwards. Since the 1990's Jamaica has had a
   reputation of being dangerous but there are places in the island that
   remain safe, unpolluted, and until now tourist free.

   The former capital of Jamaica was Spanish Town in the parish of St.
   Catherine, the site of the old Spanish colonial capital. The Spanish
   named the town Santiago de la Vega. In 1655 when the British captured
   the island, much of the old Spanish capital was burned by the invading
   British troops. The town was rebuilt by the British and renamed Spanish
   Town. It remained the capital until 1872, when the city of Kingston was
   named capital under questionable circumstances.
   Map of Jamaica
   Enlarge
   Map of Jamaica

Politics

   Jamaica's current Constitution was drafted in 1962 by a bipartisan
   joint committee of the Jamaica legislature. It came into force with the
   Jamaica Independence Act, 1962 of the United Kingdom Parliament, which
   gave Jamaica political independence.

   The Jamaican head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is given the
   title of "Queen of Jamaica". The Queen is represented by a
   Governor-General, nominated by the Prime Minister and the entire
   cabinet. All the members of the cabinet are appointed by the Governor
   General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Both the Queen and the
   Governor-General serve largely ceremonial roles (excluding their
   reserve powers).

   The Parliament of Jamaica is bicameral, consisting of the House of
   Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House). Members of
   the House (known as 'Members of Parliament' or MPs) are directly
   elected, and the member of the House of Representatives who in
   Governor-General's best judgement, is best able to command the
   confidence of a majority of the members of that House, is appointed by
   the Governor-General to be the Prime Minister. Senators are appointed
   by the Prime Minister, and the parliamentary Leader of the Opposition.

   In February 2006, Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller was elected by
   delegates of the ruling People's National Party to replace P. J.
   Patterson as President of the Party. At the end of March 2006 when Mr.
   P.J. Patterson demitted office, Mrs. Simpson-Miller became first female
   Prime Minister of Jamaica. Former Prime Minister Patterson held office
   since the 1992 resignation of Michael Manley. Mr.P.J. Patterson was
   re-elected three times, the last being in 2002. The current leader of
   the opposition is Bruce Golding.

   Jamaica has traditionally had a two party system, with power often
   alternating between the People's National Party and Jamaica Labour
   Party.

   Jamaica is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community,
   or CARICOM.

Administrative divisions

   Jamaica is divided into 3 counties and subdivided into 14 parishes.
     * Surrey (county) in the east, containing the following parishes:
          + Kingston
          + Portland
          + Saint Andrew
          + Saint Thomas

     * Middlesex (county) in the centre, containing the following
       parishes:
          + Clarendon
          + Manchester
          + Saint Ann
          + Saint Catherine
          + Saint Mary

     * Cornwall (county) in the west, containing the following parishes:
          + Hanover
          + Saint Elizabeth
          + Saint James
          + Trelawny
          + Westmoreland

Geography

   Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. The island of
   Jamaica is home to the Blue Mountains inland and is surrounded by a
   narrow coastal plain. For this reason, most major towns and both cities
   are located on the coast. Chief towns include the capital city
   Kingston, Spanish Town, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and the
   city of Montego Bay.

   The climate in Jamaica is tropical, with hot and humid weather,
   although inland regions have a more temperate climate. Some regions on
   the south coast, such as the Liguanea Plain and the Pedro Plains are
   relatively dry rain-shadow areas.

Economy

   Jamaica is a mixed, free-market economy with state enterprises as well
   as private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy
   include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and financial and
   insurance services. Tourism and mining are the leading foreign exchange
   earners.

   Supported by multilateral financial institutions, Jamaica has, since
   the early 1980's, sought to implement structural reforms aimed at
   fostering private sector activity and increashing the role of market
   forces in resource allocation. Since 1991, the Government has followed
   a program of economic liberalisation and stabilisation by removing
   exchange controls, floating the exchange rate, cutting tariffs,
   stabilising the Jamaican currency, reducing inflation and removing
   restrictions on foreign investment. Emphasis has been placed on
   maintaining strict fiscal discipline, greater openness to trade and
   financial flows, market liberalisation and reduction in the size of
   government. During this period, a large share of the economy was
   returned to private sector ownership through divestment and
   privatisation programmes.

   The macroeconomic stabilisation programme introduced in 1991, which
   focused on tight fiscal and monetary policies, has contributed to a
   controlled reduction in the rate of inflation. The annual inflation
   rate has decreased from a high of 80.2% in 1991 to 7.9% in 1998.
   inflation for FY1998/99 was 6.2% compared to 7.2% in the corresponding
   period in FY1997/98. The Government remains committed to lowering
   inflation, with a long-term objective of bringing it in line with that
   of its major trading partners.

   After a period of steady growth from 1985 to 1995, real GDP decreased
   by 1.8% and 2.4% in 1996 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in GDP in
   1996 and 1997 was largely due to significant problems in the financial
   sector and, in 1997, a severe island-wide drought (the worst in 70
   years) that drastically reduced agricultural production. In 1997,
   nominal GDP was approximately J$220,556.2 million (US$6,198.9 million
   based on the average annual exchange rate of the period).
   Fishing boats and bauxite cargo ships share the waterways near
   Alligator Pond, Jamaica
   Enlarge
   Fishing boats and bauxite cargo ships share the waterways near
   Alligator Pond, Jamaica

   The economy in 1997 was marked by low levels of import growth, high
   levels of private capital inflows and relative stability in the foreign
   exchange market.

   Recent economic performance shows the Jamaican economy is recovering.
   Agricultural production, an important engine of growth increased 15.3%
   in third quarter of 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997,
   signalling the first positive growth rate in the sector since January
   1997. Bauxite and alumina production increased 5.5% from January to
   December, 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997. January's
   bauxite production recorded a 7.1% increase relative to January 1998.
   Tourism, which is the largest foreign exchange earner, showed
   improvement as well. Growth in tourist arrivals accelerated in the
   third quarter of 1998 and tourism earnings, increased 8.5% from January
   to December 31, 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997. Paul
   Pennycooke is now the Director of Tourism for the island.

Export and import

   Export:(1999) 1,238 billion $ (Natural resources: 55,7%, Food 19,1%,
   Banana 4%, Chemical 3,6%, Machinery 2,2%). The main export countries:
   USA 33,4% , United Kingdom 13,4% ,France 5%, Germany 4%, Canada 14,1%,
   Netherlands 10,2%, Norway 5,8%, Japan 2,3%. Import: (1999) 2,89 billion
   $ (Energy 50,5%, Machinery and Equipment 7,6%, Consumer goods 33,2%).
   The main import countries: USA 48,1%, Trinidad and Tobago 7,8%, Japan
   6,9%, United Kingdom 3,7%, France 5%, Canada 3%.

Communications

   Jamaica has a fully digital telephone communication system. Jamaica has
   a mobile penetration of over 90%. The country’s three mobile operators
   are - Cable and Wireless , Digicel, and Oceanic Digital - and have
   spent millions in network upgrade and expansion. The Irish owned
   Digicel has become generic for mobile phones in Jamaica. Digicel was
   granted a licence in 2001, along with Oceanic Digital to operate mobile
   services in the newly liberalised telecoms market that was once the
   monopoly domain of the incumbent Cable and Wireless. Digicel opted for
   the more global, GSM while Oceanic which currently trades as MiPHone,
   for the CDMA. The incumbent Cable and Wireless, had begun with the
   TDMA, but subsequently upgraded to the GSM, and currently uses both
   services on its network.

   With the services Digicel initiated, land lines, provided by Cable and
   Wireless, declined from just over half a million to roughly about three
   hundred thousand as of 2006. Cable and Wireless, recently in a bid to
   grab more market share, launched a new land line service called
   HomeFone Prepaid that would allow customers to prepay for services
   rather than post-paid. However, there were new entrants in that
   landline industry and the population kept opting for more mobiles, in
   some cases two mobiles, as per major operator. A new entrant Flow
   Jamaica, has recently laid a new submarine cable which would give the
   island access to four, is currently rolling out its services which
   consist of, Cable Television, Digital Telephone, and Broadband
   Internet, in its, ‘Watch,Talk,Click’ campaign. Island-wide coverage is
   not yet available.

   Two more licenses were auctioned by the Jamaican government to provide
   mobile services in the island, one that was previously owned by AT&T
   Wireless, but did not start operation and a new one. However industry
   analyst argued that with a near market saturation, there is hardly room
   for more operators.

Demographics

   The majority of Jamaicans, at least 90%, are of West African descent.
   East Indian 1.3%, Mixed 7.3%, White 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, and Other 0.1%.
   Immigration from countries such as China, Columbia, South Asia, and
   many parts of the West Indies have seen a steady rise. All data
   statistics are based off the CIA Factbook.

   Over the past several decades, hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans have
   emigrated, mostly to the UK because of an encouragement in the 60's but
   also to the United States, Canada and other countries. The determing
   factor has often been family location and economic circumstances that
   determine how far they are able to travel. This emigration appears to
   have been tapering off somewhat in recent years. Canada also has a
   guest worker program (Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program) which draws
   on workers from the Caribbean and especially from Jamaica.

   The language of government and education is English, although the
   patois form of Jamaican Creole is widely spoken. Most Jamaicans can use
   both Patois and English depending on the circumstances and often
   combine the two. British English is the most obvious influence on
   Patois, but it includes words and syntax from Spanish, Yoruba, Akan,
   Arawak, French, Chinese, Portuguese, and East Indian languages which is
   evidence of the long standing mixing of the people. In general, Patois
   differs from English in both pronunciation and syntax, having many
   intonations to indicate meaning and mood. The language's
   characteristics includes similarities with both Irish and West African
   forms of English in pronouncing 'TH' as if it was the letter D or T,
   omitting some initial consonant sounds, principally the 'H'. For
   example, the word “there” is pronounced as “dere,”. A number of
   linguists believe Patois is a separate language; others consider it an
   alternate form of English (dialect).

   Research shows that 80.0% of Jamaica's population are Christian. The
   majority of them are Protestants also known as Anglican, which is
   primarily due to the influence of British colonialism, and later the
   influence of US denominations. The top 5 denominations in Jamaica today
   are: Church of God: , Seventh-day Adventist: Baptist: Pentecostal: and
   Anglican:

   Non-Christian religions are numerous, the largest being the Rastafari
   movement which was founded on the island and reveres the late Emperor
   Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. Obeah is a belief system with roots in
   the West African Yoruba Orisha traditions and has similarities to
   Vodon, Santeria, Candomble and other imports to the Americas which
   arrived with enslaved West Africans. Hinduism and Buddhism also appear
   due to immigration from India and the People's Republic of China. Islam
   and Judaism are less than half a percent.

Emigration

   Over the past several decades, close to a million Jamaicans have
   emigrated, especially to the United States, the United Kingdom and
   Canada. This emigration appears to have been tapering off somewhat in
   recent years, however the great number of Jamaicans living abroad has
   become known as the " Jamaican diaspora". Due to Commonwealth law and
   Jamaica's history with Great Britain, most Jamaican emigrants have
   followed a path first to the UK, and then if they do not remain in the
   UK, on to other Commonwealth countries such as Canada. Today that trend
   has changed with more Jamaican emigrants going directly to the United
   States, Canada, other Caribbean nations, Central & South America, and
   even Africa (most notably Egypt and Ethiopia) without having to pass
   through the UK first.

   Concentrations of expatriate Jamaicans are large in a number of cities
   in the United States, including New York City, the Miami metro area,
   Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. In
   Canada, the Jamaican population is centred in Toronto; in the United
   Kingdom, Jamaican communities exist in most large cities where they
   make up the larger part of the British African-Caribbean community.

   New York City is home to the largest Jamaican diaspora community of
   all, with a large community along Flatbush, Nostrand and Utica Avenues
   in Brooklyn—centred around the neighbourhoods of Prospect Heights,
   Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Canarsie, and
   Flatlands. The Bronx, Queens and Westchester also has a significant
   Jamaican ex-pat community. Flatbush, Nostrand, and Utica Avenues
   feature miles of Jamaican cuisine, food markets & other businesses,
   nightlife and residential enclaves. Throughout the summer months of
   June, July, August and early September, there are a variety of plays,
   dance performances concerts, festivals representing Jamaican &
   Caribbean culture; and culminates during the last week in August
   leading up to Labor Day Monday in September with the Parade/Carnival
   along Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. Events include a Children's Parade,
   Steel Pan competition, various concerts & parties, J'ouvert in the
   early morning hours on Labor Day; and later on Labor Day Monday, the
   various mas camps 'broke out & whine' for the Judges' panel in front of
   the Brooklyn Museum.

   In Toronto, the Jamaican community makes up nearly 7% of the city's 2.5
   million people, and includes a Little Jamaica neighbourhood. Other
   Caribbean areas in the city are located in York, North York,
   Scarborough and Rexdale. The Jamaican community influences the city in
   a huge way. The world's largest festival, called Caribana (the
   celebration of Caribbean culture) is an annual event here. Jamaica Day
   is in July and the Jesus in the City Parade attracts many Jamaican
   Christians. This festival is held downtown every September, shutting
   down Yonge street - the busiest main street in downtown Toronto. Reggae
   and Gospel now have made it into Toronto's mainstream.

   London has a strong Jamaican diaspora. Close to 4% of Londoners are of
   Jamaican heritage. Many are now at least second if not third or fourth
   generation Black British Caribbeans. Also a further 2% of people in
   London are of mixed Jamaican and British origin, the largest mixed race
   group of the country and the fastest growing. This is testimony to how
   well integrated the Jamaicans are into London and British society . One
   of the largest and most famous Jamaican ex-pat communities is in
   Brixton, South London. More large Jamaican communities in London are
   Tottenham and Hackney in North London, Harlesden in North-West London,
   and Lewisham in South-East London. The highest concentration of
   Jamaicans are in the Inner-city South london boroughs. Other Jamaican
   communities include the areas of St pauls and Easton in Bristol,
   Chapeltown in Leeds, Moss Side in Manchester, Toxteth in Liverpool,
   Burngreave in Sheffield and Handsworth in Birmingham More recently many
   resort and wild-life management skilled Jamaicans have been trending
   emigration toward such far-flung nations as Thailand, Madagascar and
   Indonesia. The nation continues to have a severe problem with barrel
   children--those left on their own by parents seeking a better life
   abroad.

Education

   The emancipation of the slaves heralded in the establishment of
   Jamaican Education System for the masses. Prior to emancipation there
   were some elite schools for the plantocracy. Others sent their children
   off to England to access quality education.

   After emancipation the West Indian Commission granted a sum of money to
   establish Elementary Schools, now known as All Age Schools, for the
   children of the freed slaves. Most of these schools were established by
   the churches. This was the genesis of the stratified system of
   education that is still currently embedded in the policies of the 21st
   century.

   Presently the following categories of schools exist:

   Early Childhood – Basic, Infant and privately operated pre- school. Age
   cohort – 3 – 7 years.

   Primary – Publicly and privately owned (Privately owned being called
   Preparatory Schools (Prep). Ages 7 – 12 years.

   Secondary – Publicly and privately owned. Ages 12 – 18 years. Tertiary
   - Community Colleges, Teachers’ Colleges, Vocational Training Centres,
   Colleges and Universities.

   There is no free education in Jamaica above the Primary Level. Although
   there isn't free education, they have a place for those who can't
   afford further education.

Military

   The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the small but professional military
   force of Jamaica. The JDF is based upon the British military model with
   organisation, training, weapons and traditions closely aligned with
   Commonwealth Realm Countries. Once chosen, officer candidates are sent
   to one of several British or Canadian basic officer courses depending
   upon which arm of service they are slated for. Enlisted soldiers are
   given basic training at JDF Training Depot, Newcastle. As on the
   British model, NCOs are given several levels of professional training
   as they rise up the ranks. Additional military schools are available
   for speciality training in Canada, the United States, and the United
   Kingdom.

   The JDF is directly descended from the British West Indies Regiment
   formed during the colonial era. The West Indies Regiment was used
   extensively by the British Empire in policing the empire from 1795 to
   1926. Other units in the JDF heritage include the early colonial
   Jamaica Militia, the Kingston Infantry Volunteers of WWI and
   reorganised into the Jamaican Infantry Volunteers in WWII. The West
   Indies Regiment was reformed in 1958 as part of the West Indies
   Federation. The dissolution of the Federation resulted in the
   establishment of the JDF.

   The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) comprises an infantry Regiment and
   Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting
   Engineering Unit. The infantry regiment contains the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
   (National Reserve) battalions. The JDF Air Wing is divided into three
   flight units, a training unit, a support unit and the JDF Air Wing
   (National Reserve). The Coast Guard element is divided between
   sea-going crews and support crews. It conducts maritime safety and
   maritime law enforcement as well as defence-related operations. The
   support battalion contains a Military Police platoon as well as
   vehicle, armourers and supply units. The 1st Engineer Regiment provides
   military engineering support to the JDF. The Headquarters JDF contains
   the JDF commander, command staff as well as intelligence, judge
   advocate office, administrative and procurement sections.

   In recent years the JDF has been called upon to assist the nation's
   police, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in fighting drug smuggling
   and a rising crime rate which includes one of the highest murder rates
   in the world. JDF units actively conduct armed patrols with the JCF in
   high-crime areas and known gang neighbourhoods. There has been vocal
   controversy as well as support of this JDF role. In early 2005, an
   opposition leader, Edward Seaga, called for the merger of the JDF and
   JCF. This has not garnered support in either organisation nor among the
   majority of citizens.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica"
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