Is Jamaica In Africa?
...And Other FAQs About Jamaica

Is Jamaica In Africa? | Jamaican Flag

by Sheree-Anita Shearer | Associate Writer

Now, one of the most googled questions pertaining to Jamaica is the actual location of the country. Is Jamaica In Africa? Other frequent searches are: What is the weather in Jamaica? Is Jamaica an island? What time zone is Jamaica in? All are valid questions that I hope you are able to answer by the end of this article.

Is Jamaica In Africa?

No, though I can understand the reason you might have thought that. Jamaica is in fact located in the Caribbean. Jamaica is actually one of the four countries in the Greater Antilles (larger nations in the Caribbean). Jamaica is not a part of another country, it is an independent country governed by itself.

Is Jamaica An Island?

It is in fact. Jamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean with a heavy focus on tourism because of this.

How Many People Live In Jamaica?

Jamaica has a population of 2.961 million people as of 2020.

How Old Is Jamaica?

Though Jamaica was once a colony of Great Britain during slavery. It gained Independence on August 6th, 1962 making Jamaica 60 years old.

What Is Jamaica’s Official Language?

Jamaica’s official language is English, however, we have Patois (Pat-wah) which is our local dialect. During the time of slavery, it was the way all the slaves who were taken from different regions in Africa had to create that would communicate and understand each other and their oppressors.

The dialect is a combination of English, Spanish and African languages. Dutch influences can also be seen throughout the dialect as they were some of the first indentured workers on the plantations in Jamaica.

What Is Jamaica Famous For?

Jamaica’s fame comes from many areas. It comes through our people, music, sports (track and field), blue mountain coffee, delicious food and many beautiful, exhilarating attractions. We have also had many great names and leaders in their respective genres come out of Jamaica like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Usain Bolt just to name a few.

What Is Jamaica’s Climate Like?

Jamaica’s climate is tropical, with the dry season lasting from December to March and the wet season, from April to November. Temperatures right across Jamaica are always between 21-31 degrees Celsius with the hottest month being July.

What Region And Hemisphere Is Jamaica In?

Jamaica is located in the Western Hemisphere in what is known as the West Indies or Caribbean region.

What Does The Name Jamaica Mean?

The name Jamaica is a derivative of the Awarakian name for the country Xamayca. The word actually means, the land of wood and water.

What Is Jamaica’s Most Popular Dish?

Is Jamaica In Africa | (Photo Credit: Ackee And Saltfish - Jamaica's National Dish)

There are so many, that fit into this category that it is impossible to choose. Our jerk chicken, curried goat, oxtail, beef patties and our national dish are all popular worldwide.

Are There Volcanoes In Jamaica?

Jamaica does not have any active volcanoes.

What Natural Disasters Does Jamaica Experience?

Jamaica often experiences, hurricanes, tropical storms, earthquakes and flooding. Our last hurricane was Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

When Was Jamaica Discovered?

Jamaica was “discovered” in 1494 by Christopher Columbus and he christened it Santiago. He described the country as the most beautiful place he had ever seen.

What Are The Colours Of The Jamaican Flag?

The Jamaican Flag has the colours, black, green and gold. The black for our people, their strength and creativity, the green for the lush topography of the nation and the gold represents our bright sunshine and the riches found in Jamaica.

The flag has four triangles separated by a diagonal golden cross. The top and bottom triangles are in green and the triangles at the side, are in black.

The first drawing of the flag had three horizontal lines, in the same colour but it was revised to a second flag with 5 horizontal lines ( a broad black line in the centre flanked by smaller green and yellow lines on both ends. But both were too similar to the flag of Tanganyika, an East African country that had gained independence just a year before us. That’s when the diagonal lines were used instead. 

Another fun fact, Jamaica is the only country in the world whose flag does not contain the colours red, white or blue. But what happened to Tanganyika you might be asking, the country was dissolved in 1969, making Jamaica the only country with the colours black green and gold.

What Religions Are In Jamaica?

Jamaica is predominantly a Christian protestant country. Jamaica actually has the most churches per square mile. Jamaican Christian churches can differ from more European styles of worship as is found in Catholic, Anglican and Moravian churches to more contemporary forms such as New Testament and Pentecostal.

Our African ancestry had also played a role in the way the Revivalists worship but essentially all these are just denominations of Christianity which have different influences.

Jamaica also has a very strong Rastafarian following which is not a surprise since the religion was formed on the island. Despite this, the many different backgrounds from which our ancestors came have also played a role in the different religions present on the island.

Islam, Judaism and Hinduism round out the 5 most prominent religions in Jamaica, however, there are a few lesser-known ones as well.

I hope I was able to clear up your question of Is Jamaica in Africa, and hopefully you learnt a few other cool stuff about our island as well. 

Now that you know this much, it is only right that you visit our many attractions, enjoy our delicious food and music then stay at one of the many all-inclusive resorts. We look forward to having you!

See Also: What Part Of Africa Are Most Jamaicans From?

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Return to Jamaican FAQs from Is Jamaica In Africa?
Return to My Island Jamaica Homepage from Is Jamaica In Africa?

References & Sources For Is Jamaica In Africa?

1. Flags, Symbols, & Currency of Jamaica - World Atlas, https://www.worldatlas.com/flags/jamaica
   

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