Jamaica History, Geography, Economy and Important Events

Originally inhabited by the indigenous Aravak and Tieno peoples, the island came under Spanish rule after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many indigenous people either died or died of diseases from which they had no immunity, and the Spanish forcibly implanted large numbers of African slaves as laborers in Jamaica. The island remained under Spanish occupation until 1655, when England (later Great Britain) conquered it, renaming it to Jamaica. Jamaica became a major Chinese exporter under British colonial rule, with the plantation economy dependent on African slaves and later their descendants. The British completely freed all slaves in 1838, and many freedmen chose subsistence farms instead of working on plantations. In the early 1840s, the British began to use Chinese and Indian indentured labor to work on plantations. The island gained independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962.

Jamaica is an island nation located on the Greater Antilles, located in the Caribbean Sea, 145 km south of Cuba, 190 km west of Haiti. During the Spanish administration, Santiago and later the British Crown colony became Jamaica. With a population of 2.8 million, it is the third most populous country in North America after the United States and Canada. Queen Elizabeth II is headed here as a member of the Commonwealth. The capital here is Kingston. Jamaica is an island nation located on the Greater Antilles. Located in the Caribbean Sea, this country is located 145 km south of Cuba, 190 km west of Haiti. During the Spanish administration, Santiago and later the British Crown colony became Jamaica. With a population of 2.8 million, it is the third most populous country in North America after the United States and Canada. Queen Elizabeth II is headed here as a member of the Commonwealth. The capital here is Kingston.

Jamaica is a mixed economy with both state enterprises and private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, petroleum refining, financial and insurance services. Tourism and mining are major foreign exchange earners. Half of the Jamaican economy is dependent on services, half of its income comes from services such as tourism. An estimated 4.3 million foreign tourists visit Jamaica every year. According to the World Bank, Jamaica is an upper-middle-income country that, like its Caribbean neighbors, is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, floods and hurricanes. In 2018, Jamaica represented the CARICOM Caribbean community at the G20 and G7 annual meetings. In 2019 Jamaica reported its lowest unemployment rate in 50 years.

Jamaica is considered as a bilingual country, with two major languages. The official language is English, which is used in all domains of public life, including government, legal systems, media, and education. However, the primary spoken language is an English-based Creole called Jamaican Patois (or Patwa).

Colombia [M] , Cuba [M] , Haiti [M] , Honduras [M] , Nicaragua [M] , United Kingdom [M] , United States of America [M] ,
Definition of international border: L = Land Border | M = Maritime Border