The most interesting facts about Jamaica, from the world’s fastest human to a religious movement that worships a former Ethiopian emperor.
Fast facts
Official name: Jamaica
Capital city: Kingston
Population: 2,823,713
Area: 10,991 sq km
Major languages: English, Jamaican patois
Time zone: UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time)
Interesting facts about Jamaica
1. Jamaica is an island nation located in the West Indies of the Caribbean.
2. Jamaica is the third largest island of the Caribbean, after Cuba and Hispaniola.
3. The original inhabitants of Jamaica were indigenous peoples from South America. Most renowned were the Arawaks and the Taínos, who settled on the island around AD 700–800.
4. Jamaica takes its name from the native Taino word “haymaca” meaning either “Land of Wood and Water” or “Land of Springs”.
5. Jamaica was first sighted by Europeans in 1494 by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage to the West Indies.
6. Jamaica was first colonized by the Spanish in 1509 and then by the British in 1655.
7. Both countries shipped thousands of slaves to Jamaica from Africa to work on sugar plantations. By 1800, the slave population of Jamaica was 300,000 and outnumbered the free population by 20 to one.
8. The Dunn’s River Falls are a top-grossing tourist attraction in Jamaica. It is believed to be the site where the famous “Las Chorreras” fight took place, where the English took possession of Jamaica from the Spanish.
9. In 1962, Jamaica became an independent country within the British Commonwealth.
10. Jamaica has one UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Blue and John Crow Mountains. The site is a forested mountainous region that provided refuge for indigenous people resisting European colonialists.
11. One of the rarest and most expensive coffees comes from the Blue Mountain of Jamaica. The elevated region of volcanic soil and abundant rainfall give the coffee a unique flavor. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee can cost upwards of $44 per pound (before shipping) to the US.
12. Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean. While it is the official language, the majority speak Jamaican Patois.
13. The Jamaican flag has two green and two black triangles separated by a yellow diagonal cross (saltire). The colours represent the difficulties faced by the nation (black), its natural wealth and the beauty of its sunlight (yellow) and agriculture and hope (green). The cross does not have any official symbolic meaning.
14. Jamaica’s flag and Mauritania’s flag are the only flags in the world that don’t contain blue, white, or red.
15. About one-third of all Jamaicans live in the capital city of Kingston.
16. The legendary musician Bob Marley was from Jamaica. Marley is largely credited with popularising reggae music on the international stage and becoming a global superstar in the process. He died in 1981 from cancer.
17. Bob Marley is the most successful reggae artist, and his album, “Legend – The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers”, with sales of over 10 million in the US alone, is the biggest-selling reggae album of all time.
18. In Jamaica, Marley continues to be idolized and is considered one of the country’s greatest musicians, key spiritual icons, and righteous revolutionary leaders. Memorials to him can be seen throughout the country.
19. Jamaica is the birthplace of Rastafarianism (also known as Rastafari). Rastafarianism is a religious movement, adopted by groups around the world, that worships the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie as the “God of the Black race”.
20. The game of dominoes is also extremely popular in Jamaica, with competitors hoping to eventually make it a national sport and then an Olympic sport.
21. Cricket is one of the country’s most popular sports with Jamaica producing some of the West Indies’ and the world’s most celebrated cricketers. Stars include George Headley, Courtney Walsh, Jeff Dujon and Michael Holding.
22. The world’s fastest sprinter, Usain Bolt, is from Jamaica. Widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time, Bolt holds the record for the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m and is an 11-time world champion.
23. Jamaican Clive Campbell – better known as DJ Kool Herc – is credited with founding hip-hop music. Google commemorated the 44th Anniversary of the “Birth of Hip Hop” with a Doodle on their home page in 2017.
24. Many Jamaicans have a fear of “duppies” (spirits of the dead) as well as “obeah” (witchcraft).
25. Jamaica has the world’s highest murder rate when measured by intentional homicides per 100,000 people.
26. Ian Fleming, who created the fictional spy James Bond lived in Jamaica. Fleming wrote more than a dozen novels and short stories featuring Agent 007 whilst living in Jamaica.
27. Several of the subsequent James Bond movies were set and/or filmed in Jamaica. “Dr. No,” “Live and Let Die,” “The Man With the Golden Gun” and “Octopussy” were largely or partly set in Jamaica, and the films based on the first two were also shot there. Additionally, the Bond film starring Daniel Craig was filmed there.
28. After reaching a high of 90.04 in 2021, Jamaica’s press freedom index dropped to 77.3 in 2024. It now ranks 24 on the World Press Freedom Index 2024. Despite this decline, the Caribbean nation held the top position for press freedom in Latin America and the Caribbean.
29. Jamaican rum is among the most expensive rum brands in the world. Wray & Nephew’s 1949 rum sold for a whopping $54,000.
30. Jamaica’s motto is ‘Out of Many One People’, which is represented on their coat of arms. It is a tribute to their multiracial roots.
31. 90% of Jamaica’s population is of African descent, which stemmed from the importation of 600,000 people during the African slave trade between 1533 and 1807.
32. The national fruit of Jamaica is ackee, which made it to the island from West Africa, likely from a slave ship.
33. Jamaica was one of the the first Caribbean country to enter the Winter Olympics when they participated in the 1988 games in Canada. The Jamaican bobsleigh team gained international recognition for their efforts in the games and inspired the 1993 movie Cool Runnings.
34. Approximately 85% of Jamaica’s coral reef had been lost due to natural disasters, pollution, boat damage and overfishing. However, it is slowly coming back again, thanks to some careful intervention.
35. Port Royal, Jamaica, considered the “wickedest city” on Earth, is the only authentic sunken city in the Western Hemisphere. Before being demolished by an earthquake in 1692, it was believed to have been a global center for British trade.
36. Jamaican farmers are especially vulnerable to climate change, which prompted Jamaica to be the first Caribbean country to submit a tough climate action plan to the UN. The partnership with the UN has eased tensions as Jamaica implemented new irrigation systems to fight dry spells.
Every effort has been made to verify these facts about Jamaica. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.