Jamaica: Flag and Facts
Jamaica's flag has a yellow diagonal cross that splits it into four triangles, green at the top and bottom and black on the left and right.
- Capital
- Kingston
- Region
- Caribbean
- Population
- 2.9 million (2025)
- Languages
- English, Jamaican Patois
- Currency
- Jamaican dollar
- Area
- 10,991 km² (4,244 sq mi)
- People
- Jamaican
- Calling code
- +1876
- Highest point
- Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
- Independence
- 6 August 1962 (from the UK)
- National symbols
- green-and-black streamertail (bird), guaiacwood (Guiacum officinale)
- Borders
- No land borders
About Jamaica
Green means hope, farming, and plant life. Black points to hardships the people have overcome and those still ahead. Yellow is for sunshine and natural resources. Together they make the national colors: green, yellow, and black.
Columbus reached the island in 1494, and Spanish settlers followed early in the 16th century. The Taino, who had lived there for centuries, were wiped out over time and replaced by enslaved Africans. England captured Jamaica in 1655 and built plantations growing sugar, cocoa, and coffee. When slavery ended in 1834, about a quarter-million people gained freedom, and many started small farms. Jamaica joined the Federation of the West Indies in 1958, left it in 1961, and became fully independent on 6 August 1962. Mountains cover most of the island, leaving only a thin, broken strip of coastal plain.
Did you know?
- The green-and-black streamertail, a hummingbird, is one of Jamaica's national symbols.
- Blue Mountain Peak, the island's highest point, rises to 2,256 m.
- Jamaica is slightly smaller than Connecticut.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Jamaica
What languages are spoken in Jamaica?
English is the official language, and Jamaican Patois is widely spoken.
What is the capital of Jamaica?
Kingston is the capital, with about 597,000 people in 2023.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.