Map of Jamaica
Jamaica is a country in North America with its capital at Kingston, home to about 2.84 million people across 10,992 km². The interactive map below plots 14 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 10 ports recorded for Jamaica in YearMaps.
- Population
- 2.84 million
- Area
- 10,992 km²
- Capital
- Kingston
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Jamaica
Centred on Kingston at 17.9771° N, 76.7674° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean, covering 10,991 square kilometres (4,244 sq mi). It is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean, after Cuba and the island of Hispaniola. Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory). With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas and the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the capital and largest city.
The Indigenous Ciboney people of the island gradually came under Spanish rule after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many of the Indigenous people either were killed or died of diseases, after which the Spanish brought large numbers of Africans to Jamaica as slaves. The island belonged to Spain under the name Santiago until 1655, when England, part of what would become the Kingdom of Great Britain, conquered it and named it Jamaica. It became an important part of the colonial British West Indies. Under Britain's colonial rule, Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with a plantation economy dependent on continued importation of African slaves and their descendants. The British emancipated all slaves in 1838, and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations. Beginning in the 1840s, the British began using Chinese and Indian indentured labourers for plantation work. Jamaica achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962.
Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with power vested in the bicameral Parliament of Jamaica, consisting of an appointed Senate and a directly elected House of Representatives. Andrew Holness has served as Prime Minister of Jamaica since March 2016. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as its king; the appointed representative of the Crown is the Governor-General of Jamaica, the office having been held by Patrick Allen since 2009. Because of a high rate of emigration for work since the 1960s, there is a large Jamaican diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, with significant European, East Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Lebanese, and mixed-race minorities.
Jamaica is an upper-middle-income country with an economy heavily dependent on tourism, including popular resorts. It has an average of 4.3 million tourists a year.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Jamaica
Europeans first saw Jamaica when Christopher COLUMBUS arrived in 1494, and the Spanish settled the island early in the 16th century. The Native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced with African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter-million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958, it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica withdrew from the Federation in 1961 and gained full independence in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurring violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, corruption, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
- Location
- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba.
- Climate
- Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior.
- Terrain
- Mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain.
- Highest point
- Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m.
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 1,022 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.); arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.); forest: 56.2% (2023 est.); other: 5.3% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Hurricanes (especially July to November)
- Geographic note
- Third largest island in the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola); strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal.
- Languages
- English, Jamaican patois.
- Religions
- Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.)
- Economy
- Upper-middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; high crime, youth unemployment, and poverty; susceptible to natural disasters and global commodity price shocks; progress in reducing public debt and moderating inflation within target range.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Jamaica in Numbers
- Population
- 2.84 million
- GDP
- US$22.7 billion
- GDP per person
- US$8,003
- Life expectancy
- 71.6 years
- Population growth
- -0.07% a year
- Population density
- 262 per km²
- Urban population
- 59.4%
- Surface area
- 10,991 km²
- Forest cover
- 56.5%
- Arable land
- 11.5%
- Access to electricity
- 97.7%
- Internet users
- 90.1%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Jamaica in Depth
History
There is no archaeological evidence of any human presence on Jamaica until about 500 CE. A group known as the "Redware people" after their pottery arrived circa 600 CE, followed by the Taíno circa 800 CE, who most likely came from South America. They practised an agrarian and fishing economy, and at their height are thought to have numbered some 60,000 people, grouped into around 200 villages headed by caciques (chiefs). The south coast of Jamaica was the most populated, especially around the area now known as Old Harbour.
Though often thought to have become extinct following contact with Europeans, the Taíno in fact still inhabited Jamaica when the English took control of the island in 1655. Some fled into interior regions, merging with African Maroon communities.
Geography
Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean. It lies between latitudes 17° and 19°N, and longitudes 76° and 79°W. Mountains dominate the interior: the Don Figuerero, Santa Cruz, and May Day mountains in the west, the Dry Harbour Mountains in the centre, and the John Crow Mountains and Blue Mountains in the east, the latter containing Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica's tallest mountain at 2,256 m. They are surrounded by a narrow coastal plain.
Jamaica has two major cities, the first being Kingston, the capital city and centre of business and located on the south coast, and the second being Montego Bay, one of the best known cities in the Caribbean for tourism, located on the north coast.
Economy
Jamaica is a mixed economy with both state enterprises and private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, petroleum refining, financial and insurance services. Tourism and mining are the leading earners of foreign exchange. Half the Jamaican economy relies on services, with half of its income coming from services such as tourism. An estimated 4.3 million foreign tourists visit Jamaica every year. According to the World Bank, Jamaica is an upper-middle income country that, like its Caribbean neighbours, is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, flooding, and hurricanes. In 2018, Jamaica represented the CARICOM Caribbean Community at the G20 and the G7 annual meetings.
Demographics
Breakdown of responses to the 2011 census by the University of the West Indies.
Jamaica's diverse ethnic roots are reflected in the national motto "Out of Many One People". Some dispute the appropriateness of the motto because Jamaicans are overwhelmingly of a single race. The Jamaican founding fathers were mostly White or brown men and unrepresentative of the views of the country's majority Black population.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Jamaica: Key Facts
| Currency | Jamaican dollar |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English, Jamaican Patois |
| Head of state | Charles III |
| Head of government | Andrew Holness |
| Calling code | +1876 |
| Internet domain | .jm |
| Highest point | Blue Mountain Peak |
| Lowest point | Caribbean Sea |
| Established | 1962 |
Facts from Wikidata Q766 (CC0).
History of Jamaica: Empires and States
The atlas records 6 polities whose mapped territory included part of Jamaica, from The Spanish Empire in 1516 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| The Spanish Empire | 1516–1658 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of England | 1659–1708 CE | Most |
| English Colonial Empire | 1659–1712 CE | Most |
| British Colonial Empire | 1709–1962 CE | Most |
| The British Empire | 1709–1962 CE | Most |
| Jamaica | 1963–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Jamaica
Jamaica on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean that attracts sunseekers for its laid-back beach culture, and music fans on the trail of Jamaica's most famous son, reggae legend Bob Marley. Tourists flock to the island's northern coast, including the communities of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Port Antonio, and in Negril on the island's western tip. Dynamic in its African heritage, Jamaica offers a lively atmosphere in its tropical feel.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Jamaica
14 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingston | 937,700 | Kingston | National capital |
| 2 | Spanish Town | 432,704 | Saint Catherine | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | May Pen | 135,142 | Clarendon | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Montego Bay | 126,008 | Saint James | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Half Way Tree | 96,494 | Saint Andrew | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Mandeville | 47,115 | Manchester | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Savanna-la-Mar | 30,000 | Westmoreland | Admin-1 capital |
| 8 | Port Antonio | 14,400 | Portland | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | St. Ann's Bay | 13,671 | Saint Ann | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Port Morant | 11,536 | Saint Thomas | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Port Maria | 7,906 | Saint Mary | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Falmouth | 7,779 | Trelawny | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Lucea | 6,289 | Hanover | Admin-1 capital |
| 14 | Black River | 4,229 | Saint Elizabeth | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Jamaica
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountain Pk | 2,256 m | 7,402 ft | North America |
Ports in Jamaica
10 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucea | 45.7 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 2 | Port Antonio | 42.1 m | Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 3 | Montego Bay | 38.4 m | Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 4 | Port Esquivel | 34.7 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 5 | Rocky Point | 34.7 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 6 | Falmouth | 31.1 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | medium vessels |
| 7 | Ocho Rios | 27.4 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 8 | Savannah la Mar | 27.4 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | medium vessels |
| 9 | Rio Bueno | 5.5 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | medium vessels |
| 10 | Port Kaiser | — | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jamaica
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Royal | 2025 | Cultural | (iv) (vi) |
Largest Islands of Jamaica
1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamaica | 11,433 km² | Island |
Jamaica
Island · 11,433 km²
Jamaica is an island in North America (West Indies), covering an estimated 11,433 km².
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean, covering 10,991 square kilometres (4,244 sq mi). It is the third-largest island in the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean, after Cuba and the island of Hispaniola. Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory). With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas and the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is the capital and largest city.
The Indigenous Ciboney people of the island gradually came under Spanish rule after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many of the Indigenous people either were killed or died of diseases, after which the Spanish brought large numbers of Africans to Jamaica as slaves. The island belonged to Spain under the name Santiago until 1655, when England, part of what would become the Kingdom of Great Britain, conquered it and named it Jamaica. It became an important part of the colonial British West Indies.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 11,433 km²
- Size rank
- #143 of 445 islands
- Region
- North America
- Subregion
- West Indies
- Coordinates
- 18.0987°, -77.3035°
- Summits:
- Pico Turquino (1,974 m), Pic la Selle (2,680 m), Pico Duarte (3,098 m)
- Ranges:
- Blue Ridge (North America), Sierra Madre Oriental (North America)
- Settlements:
- May Pen (16 km), Mandeville (22 km), Spanish Town (40 km)
More about Jamaica
Geography
Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean. It lies between latitudes 17° and 19°N, and longitudes 76° and 79°W. Mountains dominate the interior: the Don Figuerero, Santa Cruz, and May Day mountains in the west, the Dry Harbour Mountains in the centre, and the John Crow Mountains and Blue Mountains in the east, the latter containing Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica's tallest mountain at 2,256 m. They are surrounded by a narrow coastal plain.
Jamaica has two major cities, the first being Kingston, the capital city and centre of business and located on the south coast, and the second being Montego Bay, one of the best known cities in the Caribbean for tourism, located on the north coast.
History
There is no archaeological evidence of any human presence on Jamaica until about 500 CE. A group known as the "Redware people" after their pottery arrived circa 600 CE, followed by the Taíno circa 800 CE, who most likely came from South America. They practised an agrarian and fishing economy, and at their height are thought to have numbered some 60,000 people, grouped into around 200 villages headed by caciques (chiefs). The south coast of Jamaica was the most populated, especially around the area now known as Old Harbour.
Though often thought to have become extinct following contact with Europeans, the Taíno in fact still inhabited Jamaica when the English took control of the island in 1655. Some fled into interior regions, merging with African Maroon communities.
Demographics
Breakdown of responses to the 2011 census by the University of the West Indies.
Jamaica's diverse ethnic roots are reflected in the national motto "Out of Many One People". Some dispute the appropriateness of the motto because Jamaicans are overwhelmingly of a single race. The Jamaican founding fathers were mostly White or brown men and unrepresentative of the views of the country's majority Black population.
In 2018, of the population of 2,812,000, most were of African or partially African descent, with many being able to trace their origins to the West African countries of present-day Ghana and Nigeria. Other major ancestral areas are Europe, South Asia, and East Asia.
Economy
Jamaica is a mixed economy with both state enterprises and private sector businesses. Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, petroleum refining, financial and insurance services. Tourism and mining are the leading earners of foreign exchange. Half the Jamaican economy relies on services, with half of its income coming from services such as tourism. An estimated 4.3 million foreign tourists visit Jamaica every year.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Jamaica: Key Facts
| Area | 10,992 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,697,983 (2011) |
| Highest point | Blue Mountain Peak |
| Surrounded by | Caribbean Sea |
Facts from Wikidata Q766 (CC0).
Visiting Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean that attracts sunseekers for its laid-back beach culture, and music fans on the trail of Jamaica's most famous son, reggae legend Bob Marley. Tourists flock to the island's northern coast, including the communities of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Port Antonio, and in Negril on the island's western tip. Dynamic in its African heritage, Jamaica offers a lively atmosphere in its tropical feel.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Jamaica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Countries Bordering Jamaica
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in North America
Jamaica: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Jamaica?
- The capital of Jamaica is Kingston.
- What is the population of Jamaica?
- Jamaica has a population of about 2.84 million, the #141 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Jamaica?
- Jamaica covers 10,992 km², ranking #168 by area, with about 258 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Jamaica in?
- Jamaica is in North America.
- Which countries border Jamaica?
- Jamaica shares a land or maritime border with United Kingdom.
- What is the largest city in Jamaica?
- Kingston is the largest city in Jamaica, with a metropolitan population of about 937,700.
- What is the highest mountain in Jamaica?
- The highest summit recorded for Jamaica in YearMaps is Blue Mountain Pk at 2,256 m (7,402 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.