Jamaica

American  

[juh-may-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.

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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)

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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.

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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

See Examples For:

Jamaica

The members of the UN committee -- who will weigh whether to replace Kyaw Moe Tun -- include the Bahamas, Belgium, Benin, China, Jamaica, Russia, Uganda, the United States and Vanuatu.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

A new book to explore: Marlon James’ new book, The Disappearers, follows a group of gay men grappling with extreme homophobia in 1980s Jamaica.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

In 2015, David Cameron, who was prime minister at the time, ruled out making reparations for Britain's role in the historic slave trade, while visiting Jamaica.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

“You do realize that there is a Jamaica underneath this Jamaica, right?” says a man named Jordan early in Marlon James’ virtuosic novel, “The Disappearers.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

I’ll probably need to get a new phone in Jamaica.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon