Jamaica History - The World's Favorite Destination

History of Jamaica

When Christopher Columbus came to Jamaica in 1494, it was inhabited by the Arawak and Taino Indians. He named it Santiago, and it remained a Spanish colony up until 1655. Covering an area of 10,990 square kilometers, it’s the third largest of the Caribbean islands. The Arawaks came to Jamaica from South America and it is believed that they stayed there from 4000 to 1000 BC. They named the island “Xaymaca” meaning “The Land of Wood and Water”. Before the Spanish arrived, the Arawaks were living a life of fishing, hunting, land cultivation, and so on. With the coming of the Spanish, there was a lot of chaos and bloodshed in Jamaica as they took control of the island from the Arawaks.

In 1655, the British took Jamaica from the Spanish. Under British rule, Jamaica became the largest exporter of sugar, producing some 77,000 tons of sugar a year. The British established a number of botanical gardens like the Hope Garden and Cinchona Plantation in 1874 and 1868 respectively. In 1872, Kingston became Jamaica’s capital. Sir Horace Hector Hearne became the chief justice of Jamaica in 1945. After a tough period, Jamaica finally won its independence in 1962.

Government and Politics

Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm under Queen Elizabeth II who is officially called the “Queen of Jamaica” when visiting the country or enacting on Jamaica’s behalf. Jamaica is a constitutional monarchy as well as a parliamentary democracy. Drafted in 1962, the current constitution has 138 articles. The Jamaican government is bicameral which means that it has two houses, namely, the Upper House and the Lower House. The senators are nominated by the Prime Minister as well as the leader of the opposition and they are elected by the Governor General. The members of the Lower House or the House of the Representatives are also elected by the Governor General. The constitution discourages racial, political, and sexual discrimination. The Queen is just a nominal head and all the powers are exercised by the Governor General. The Governor General is recommended by the Prime Minister and is elected by the Queen.

Parishes of Jamaica

Jamaica has been divided into parishes from the time the English took over the island in 1655. From 1841-1865, there were 22 parishes but now there are only 14 parishes. These parishes are divided in three counties: Cornwall County - which contains the parishes Saint James, Saint Elizabeth, Trelawney, Hanover, and Westmoreland; Middlesex County - which contains the parishes Saint Ann, Saint Mary, Clarendon, Manchester, and Saint Catherine; and Surrey County - which contains the parishes Saint Andrew, Kingston, Portland, and Saint Thomas.

Military

The Jamaican Military Force (JMF) is derived from the military model of the British. The Jamaican military is divided into the following four categories: Ground Forces, Infantry Regiment, Air Wing, and the Coast Guard. The main and the most important category is the Jamaica Infantry Regiment. Both the Infantry Regiment and the Air Wing are further divided into three parts. Service in the military is voluntary so people who want to serve the nation can join the military.

Geography

Jamaica is 235 kilometers in length and varies from 34 to 84 kilometers in width. Its total area is 10,910 square kilometers. Jamaica lies south of Cuba by about 90 miles, and Haiti is to the west. Jamaica is the largest Commonwealth Caribbean Island and it’s the third largest of the Greater Antilles.

Ethnic Origin

The majority of the population of Jamaica is descended from Africa. The most common groups are the Akan or Coromantee and the Igbo. Other ethnic groups are the multiracial Jamaicans many of which have Irish ancestry, Jamaicans of India, and China. A mix of other cultures make up the lowest percentage of people living in Jamaica. This includes people of Irish, German, Scottish, English, Lebanese, and Syrian descent. Around 20,000 people of Latin American ancestry live in Jamaica, and around 7,000 Americans.

Religion

The majority of Jamaicans are Christians with 24 percent of the population belonging to the Church of God of Prophecy, 11 percent belonging to the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 10 percent Pentecostal, and 7 percent Baptist. Other Christian denominations present in Jamaica with a smaller percentage of members are the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Moravian, United Church, Methodist, and Plymouth Brethren denominations. Christianity in Jamaica gained publicity after former slaves joined Christians to fight slavery. Other major religions apart from Christianity are Islam, Bahá'í Faith, and Hinduism.

Culture

With such a diverse history, Jamaica has a rich culture. Even though it’s a small country, Jamaican culture is known worldwide. Dance is a very important part of the Jamaican culture. Around 30 types of dance are performed by people during festivals and other occasions. Many famous music genres have originated from this country. Such genres include reggae, rocksteady, dancehall, and raga.

Authors from Jamaica include Claude McKay, Derek Walcott, and Louis Simpson. While not from the island Ian Fleming wrote his James Bond books while living in Jamaica.

Economy

Jamaica is rich in minerals, especially bauxite/alumina. It depends on the export of bauxite/alumina among other minerals. Jamaica’s top source of income comes from tourism supplying roughly a quarter of the jobs in the country. Other industries include agriculture which exports a lot of bananas, coffee, rum, yams, and sugar, animal husbandry, fishing, forestry, financial services, and retail.

Transportation

Jamaica has railways, roadways and airways. Railways aren’t so popular as roadways and airways. There are three international airports in Jamaica, namely, Norman Manley International Airport, Ian Fleming International Airport, and Sir Donald Sangster International Airport. The road network runs about 21,000 kilometers and it forms the backbone of the island’s transport system. There are also ferry services in Jamaica for people who are looking for an alternative form of transportation.

Language

The official language in Jamaica is English. Patois (Creole), a combination of English and various urban and rural African languages, is also commonly used. Mostly everyone in Jamaica can speak and understand Creole but it’s not a written language. The accent of the Jamaicans is also quite distinct.