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Jamaica’s People
Almost 750,000 slaves were brought to Jamaica from Africa in the years
between 1655 and 1807 (about 200,000 were then sent to the Spanish isles).
Most of the enslaved persons came from the west coast of Africa, primarily
from the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and Biafra (now primarily Nigeria).
Later, many immigrants arrived from other parts of the world Following
the abolition of slavery in 1834, workers were brought in from other countries.
Workers from Germany, Ireland and Scotland arrived. Asian immigrants came
from India and China and eventually workers came from what is now Lebanon
(although throughout Jamaica they are referred to as “Syrians.”)
These days, 92 percent of Jamaicans trace their ancestry to Africa. East
Indians and African-East Indians comprise about 3.4 percent of the population,
while Caucasians represent about 3.2 percent. A little more than one percent
of the population is of Chinese and African-Chinese descent.
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