Jamaica

American  

[juh-mey-kuh] / dʒəˈmeɪ kə /

noun

1. an island in the West Indies, S of Cuba. 4,413 sq. mi. (11,430 sq. km).

2. a republic coextensive with this island: formerly a British colony; became independent in 1962, retaining membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. Kingston.

---

Jamaica British  

/ dʒəˈmeɪkə /

noun

1. an island and state in the Caribbean: colonized by the Spanish from 1494 onwards, large numbers of Black slaves being imported; captured by the British in 1655 and established as a colony in 1866; gained full independence in 1962; a member of the Commonwealth. Exports: chiefly bauxite and alumina, sugar, and bananas. Official language: English. Religion: Protestant majority. Currency: Jamaican dollar. Capital: Kingston. Pop: 2 909 714 (2013 est). Area: 10 992 sq km (4244 sq miles)

---

Jamaica Cultural  

1. Nation in the West Indies, situated south of Cuba and west of Haiti, in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Kingston.

---

Discover More

The country has a high level of poverty.

Tourism is a major industry.

It was the leading world sugar producer in the eighteenth century, when a large slave population grew up around sugar plantations.

A British colony from 1865 to 1962, Jamaica then became completely independent.

Example Sentences

The lure of foreign travel seduced him as well, for his sketching trips would eventually take him to the Andes as well as to Labrador, Jamaica and the Near East.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Roje Stona, who won Olympic men's discus gold for Jamaica in 2024, was also one of the group.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Another traveler, departing for Jamaica at 6 a.m., offered one word to describe her experience: terrible.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026

The Jamaica international's contract is due to expire in the summer and, while City have held positive discussions over a renewal, the wait is agonising for supporters.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

In Jamaica, we’re greeted by dozens of large butterflies, the Giant Swallowtail, as people sitting on the floor eat special dishes, like ackee and saltfish.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera