he monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a
charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It
has been at the forefront of European economic and political
unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,
corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low
incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the
prosperous north.

Jamaica
The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 -
was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native
Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were
gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed
the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa,
and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed
a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers.
Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and
in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the
Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when
it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic
conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs
created by the major political parties evolved into powerful
organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling
and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has
served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless,
many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute
substantially to the economy.

Jan Mayen
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
northernmost active volcano on earth.

Japan
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered
in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to
secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its port