Jamaica

Jamaica was a British colony from 1655 until independence in 1962 and was one of the most productive sugar colonies in the Atlantic economy, worked by hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans. The legacy of that history — and the resistance to it — runs through Jamaican culture, from the Maroon communities who fought the British to a draw in the 18th century to the music of Bob Marley, which gave voice to a global generation's desire for freedom and justice.

Modern Jamaica faces significant economic challenges: sluggish growth, high debt levels, a persistent trade deficit, and emigration of skilled workers. Tourism is the primary foreign exchange earner, with the island's beaches, mountains, and cultural attractions drawing millions of visitors annually. The country punches far above its weight in sport — Jamaican sprinters, led by Usain Bolt, have dominated Olympic track and field for two decades — and in music, where Kingston's recording studios continue to generate sounds that reshape global pop.