Where is Jamaica? [you asked?]
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The truth is although we are a very popular country, there are still millions across the world who may have only heard the name, if at all.

Almost at the centre of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica lies 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Cuba and 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of Haiti, the two nearest countries. It is located between 77° to 79° western geographic longitude and 18° northern geographic latitude.

Take a look at the Map of Jamaica here [opens in a new window]

The closest point to Jamaica in South America is Cartagena in Colombia, a distance of 710 kilometres (445 miles) almost due south. The latitude and longitude of the capital, Kingston, are about 76°47' West and 18°01' North.

Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica.

It is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada.

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By the way, don't miss these other informative pages about Jamaica:

• History of Jamaica
• Fast facts about Jamaica
• Your Vacation in Jamaica

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