Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, covering 10,990 sq km. It lies south of Cuba and west of Hispaniola. Originally inhabited by the Taíno, it was colonized by Spain in 1494 before being taken by the British in 1655. The island became a major sugar exporter using African slave labor until emancipation in 1838. Chinese and Indian indentured workers arrived later. Jamaica gained independence from the UK on August 6, 1962.
Demographics & Culture
