Factbook
Histoire de Jamaïque — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Jamaïque, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1494Europeans first saw Jamaica when Christopher COLUMBUS arrived in 1494, and the Spanish settled the island early in the 16th century.
1655England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee.
1834The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter-million slaves, many of whom became small farmers.
1958In 1958, it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies.
1961Jamaica withdrew from the Federation in 1961 and gained full independence in 1962.
1962Independence: 6 August 1962 (from the UK).
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 87.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 6.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 42.095 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction, financial and insurance services, tourism, telecommunications Agriculture: sugarcane, goat milk, yams, chicken, oranges, coconuts, bananas, plantains, pumpkins/squash, pineapples (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
2023Languages: 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%, Bre Urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023).
2023Major urban areas: 597,000 KINGSTON (capital) (2023) 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 Inflation: 5.4% (2024 est.).
2024Military spending: 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.).
