Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, less than 500 miles south of the coast of Florida.hammock swings For three centuries Jamaica was a British colony, until it obtained independence in 1962. Over 90% of Jamaica’s population is black, although there are substantial numbers of Indians, Chinese, and Syrians who have added their distinct cultural traditions and cuisines to the fabulous Jamaican mix. Jamaica is the largest island in the Greater Antilles, and it has three distinct regions: the central mountains, the plateau, and the coastal plain. The Blue Mountains, where Jamaica’s gourmet coffee is grown, rise to 7400 feet at the highest point, Blue Mountain Peak. Springs feed swiftly flowing rivers and waterfalls which run south and north from the mountains.