Jamaica easily could easily claim to be the most famous of all the Caribbean nations. According to history, the name Jamaica comes from the Taino word Xaymaca meaning “Land of Wood and Water”. The Taino were an Arawakan tribe and the initial inhabitants of the country prior to the arrival of the Spaniards under the leadership of Christopher Columbus.

The British were to later wrest control of the island from the Spanish and turned the country into a major sugar exporting colony. Africans were brought to work in the colony as well as a smaller number of Chinese and Indian labourers. These individuals were to later form the crop of the citizenry of this Caribbean nation.

Though Jamaica is the most popular of all Caribbean nations, it is only the third largest island in the Caribbean.  The first capital of Jamaica was Spanish Town; this was also the capital when Jamaica was controlled by the Spanish. Later on the capital moved to Kingston which remains the country’s capital to date.

Major Cities/Towns

Kingston is the largest city in Jamaica and its capital. The city is found on the south-eastern coast of the country and consists of the Downtown and New Kingston areas. The city is surrounded by the beautiful Blue Mountains which are a sight to behold when in Jamaica. A number of famous Reggae stars such as Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man, all come from Kingston.

Ocho Rios is another popular location in Jamaica, especially with tourists. It attracts a huge number of people every year and these people come to the city for scuba diving and various other water sports as well.

Montego Bay is another important city in Jamaica, primarily because it is home to the country’s largest international airport, the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.

Port Antonio has been a haven for Hollywood movie stars and royalty seeking out the exotic peace of Caribbean locations. If you are one of such people who enjoy quiet locations and wish to have some relative peace and comfort in such locations, you would find Port Antonio very relaxing indeed. It is also famous for its banana and coconuts exports which are sent to locations all over the world.