Jamaica Flag

Jamaica is a beautiful island nation located in the Caribbean Sea. With a total area of 10,990 square kilometers, it is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean, after Cuba and Hispaniola. Jamaica has a population of over 2.8 million people, making it the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, and the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean. The majority of Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian, Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities.

The island of Jamaica has a rich and diverse history. It was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people, who were later displaced by the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. The island became a Spanish colony, and many of the indigenous people were killed or died of diseases. The Spanish brought large numbers of African slaves to Jamaica to work on plantations, and the island became a leading sugar exporter. In 1655, England conquered Jamaica and renamed it. The British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838, and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms instead of working on plantations. The British also brought Chinese and Indian indentured labor to work on plantations in the 1840s.

In 1962, Jamaica achieved independence from the United Kingdom and became a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The country has a strong economy, with a focus on tourism and a large diaspora in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jamaica has a global influence and is known for its unique culture, including the Rastafari religion, reggae music, and sporting achievements in cricket, sprinting, and athletics. The island nation is also well-regarded for its press freedom and democratic governance, ranking first in the Caribbean on the World Happiness Report for 2021. The current prime minister of Jamaica is Andrew Holness, who has served in this role since March 2016.