Jamaica

[ juh-mey-kuh ]
/ dʒəˈmeɪ kə /

noun

an island in the West Indies, S of Cuba. 4413 sq. mi. (11,430 sq. km).
a republic coextensive with this island: formerly a British colony; became independent in 1962, retaining membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. Capital: Kingston.

Example sentences from the Web for jamaica

British Dictionary definitions for jamaica

Jamaica
/ (dʒəˈmeɪkə) /

noun

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)

Cultural definitions for jamaica

Jamaica

Nation in the West Indies, situated south of Cuba and west of Haiti, in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Kingston.

notes for Jamaica

It was the leading world sugar producer in the eighteenth century, when a large slave population grew up around sugar plantations.

notes for Jamaica

A British colony from 1865 to 1962, Jamaica then became completely independent.

notes for Jamaica

The country has a high level of poverty.

notes for Jamaica

Tourism is a major industry.