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

In that crafted scene he lifted his chin and belted a longing Caribbean ballad, “Jamaica Farewell.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Three-and-a-half decades ago, under an isolated communist regime, Poland was nearly as poor as Jamaica after adjusting for price levels.

From The Wall Street Journal

Locally, Sly & Robbie founded an influential label, Taxi Records, in 1980 and performed in the house band at Jamaica’s formidable Channel One studio.

From Los Angeles Times

"Yesterday was such a good day for him," Thelma told Jamaica's Gleaner newspaper.

From BBC

She says that due to these problems, she estimates that of the 160-plus licences of various categories granted by Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority between 2017 and 2024, "very few" are still in operation.

From BBC