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Jamaica
The cultural powerhouse of reggae and the Blue Mountains
Jamaica is a small island with an outsized cultural footprint, the birthplace of reggae and ska, of Bob Marley and Rastafari, and of a sprinting tradition that has produced the fastest humans on Earth. Around 2.8 million people inhabit a land of misty mountains, white beaches, and lush river valleys in the heart of the Caribbean. From its patois and cuisine to its music and athletics, Jamaica projects an identity that resonates worldwide far beyond its modest size.
The island is largely mountainous and limestone-built, rising in the east to Blue Mountain Peak at 2,256 meters, source of the prized Blue Mountain coffee, and pocked in the west by the karst maze of the Cockpit Country. Rivers, waterfalls, and reef-lined beaches ring the coast at Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios. The tropical climate brings a hurricane season that periodically batters the island.
A Spanish then British colony built on sugar and slavery, Jamaica gained independence in 1962. Tourism, bauxite and alumina, agriculture, and remittances drive the economy, while music and sport are powerful exports of soft power. High debt, crime in parts of Kingston, and climate vulnerability sit alongside a vibrant, globally admired culture in its present life.