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Exports Sugar, bananas, bauxite, rum, cocoa,

coconuts, liqueurs, cigars, citrus, alumina, gypsum.

Tourism is important.
Not to be republished
hisToRY

ad 900 Settled by Arawak Indians, who gave the
©KTBS
island the name Jamaica (‘well watered’).

1494 The explorer Christopher Columbus reached Jamaica.
1509 Occupied by Spanish; much of the Arawak.

community died from exposure to European diseases;

Black African slaves were brought in to work on the sugar

plantations.
1655 Captured by Britain and became its most valuable

Caribbean colony.

1838 Slavery abolished.

1870 Banana plantations established as sugar-cane
industry declined in the face of competition from

European beet sugar.

1938. Serious riots during the economic depression

and as a sign of growing political awareness, the
People’s National Party (PNP) was formed by Norman

Manley.

1944 First Constitution adopted.

1958-62 Part of West Indies Federation.
1959 Internal self-government granted.

1962 Independence achieved within

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