Miami to Buenos Aires

The undulating hills of Cockpit Country, given this name by the British in the 17th century because of their resemblance to cockfighting arenas.

Hurricane Dennis passes almost directly over Jamaica (to the right of the hurricane's eye). Rainfall from these weather systems erodes the limestone quickly, creating the karst landscape.

Fast-moving rivers cut quickly through the limestone to create karst topography.

Huge underground lakes form caves under the limestone rock that makes up Cockpit Country.

The rolling hills of Cockpit Country.

Satellite image of Cuba (top) and the much smaller island of Jamaica (bottom right). Both islands were created during the same period of tectonic uplift and volcanic activity.

There are more than 300 caves in Cockpit Country, formed by water erosion of the soft limestone.

Some of Jamaica's subterranean caves are vast caverns, eroded over millions of years.

A river cuts through the thick foliage. Constant running water erodes the limestone plateau, creating the unique karst landscape.

A small community perched on the hills of Cockpit Country.

The mountainous landscape of Jamaica, covered with dense rainforest.

Cockpit country covers a large part of north-west Jamaica, enclosed by a ring-road as shown on this map.

The aquifers underneath the limestone in Cockpit Country provides water for 59% of Jamaica's population.

Yellow-billed parrots are one of Cockpit Country's endemic bird species.

The blue swallowtail butterfly, or Jamaica kite, exists only in Cockpit Country.

The giant swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies in the world, found only in Cockpit Country.

A Jamaican fruit-eating bat. There are 50,000 bats living in Cockpit Country alone.

The dense rainforests of Jamaica are home to hundreds of unique species.

Cockpit Country alone is home to more than 100 endemic plant species.

A coconut forest in inland Jamaica.

A settlement within the almost inpenetrable rainforest.

Bauxite mining is a threat to the current climate of Cockpit Country.

The Jamaican boa is the island's largest land predator, and lives in Cockpit Country.

Cockpit Country is home to seven orchid species; some are endemic to the region.

Bauxite mining in Cockpit Country. Mining threatens to destroy the unique biodiversity of the region.

At least 79 of Jamaica's 100 bird species are found in Cockpit Country, including the black-billed parrot.

c. 1908 - A family of Maroons in Cockpit Country.

The Independence Day celebrations marking the day Jamaica gained independence from British rule.

Statue of Bob Marley, the international icon of Jamaican culture.

An elaborate costume made from the foliage of the Jamaican rainforest.

c. 1908 - A Maroon settlement in Cockpit Country.

1671 - Map of Jamaica soon after colonisation by the Spanish.

Traditional costumes act as a reminder of many Jamaicans' African roots.

1894 - A sugar plantation in Jamaica. Thousands of slaves were brought to the Caribbean to work on the plantations.

1880 - After the abolition of slavery, many ex-slaves still worked on plantations to maintain the valuable sugar industry.

The black of the Jamaican flag represents the strength of the people, the gold represents the golden sunshine and the green represents the lush vegetation.

1921 - Unissued Jamaican abolition of slavery stamp.

The Jamaican flag was adopted in 1962, when the country gained independence from British rule.

c. 1908 - A family of Maroons in Cockpit Country.