Jamaicans

National Flag of Jamaica
Total population
c. 4.4 million 2,683,707 (2011 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Jamaica   2,934,847[2][3]
United States	1,100,000+[4]
Canada	309,485[5]
United Kingdom	800,000+[6]
The Bahamas	5,572[7]
Germany	1,671[6]
Trinidad and Tobago	15,000[6]
Australia	1,092[6]
Other	~2,000-5,000
Religion
Primarily Protestantism[8]

Jamaicans are the citizens of Jamaica and their descendants in the Jamaican diaspora. The vast majority of Jamaicans are of African descent, with minorities of Europeans, East Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern and others or mixed ancestry. The bulk of the Jamaican diaspora resides in other Anglophone countries, namely Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom and, to a lesser extent, other Caribbean countries and Commonwealth realms. Outside of Anglophone countries, the largest Jamaican diaspora community lives in Costa Rica, where Jamaicans make up a significant percentage of the population.

History

Census

According to the official Jamaica Population Census of 1970, ethnic origins categories in Jamaica include: Black (Mixed); Chinese; East Indian; White; and 'Other' (e.g.: Syrian or Lebanese).^[1] Jamaicans of African descent made up 92% of the working population. Those of non-African or mixed race were the second-most prominent labour group, making up 8% of the population.^[9]

Self-identified ethnic origin

Responses of the 2011 official census.^[10]

Religion

Members of Christian denominations formed TBD per cent. of those who made answer to the inquiry at the last census; non-Christian sects were TBD per cent.; and those who described themselves as of no religion TBD per cent.; whilst "indefinite" religions constituted TBD per cent.

Diaspora

Many Jamaicans now live overseas and outside Jamaica, while many have migrated to Anglophone countries, including over 400,000 Jamaicans in the United Kingdom, over 300,000 in Canada, 800,000 in the United States.

There are about 30,000 Jamaicans residing in other CARICOM member including the Bahamas (5,600),^[]Cuba (5,000),^[]Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago.^[13] There are also communities of Jamaican descendants in Central America, particularly Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. Most of Costa Rica's Afro-Costa Rican and Mulatto population, which combined represents about 7% of the total population, is of Jamaican descent.^[14][15]

Notable Jamaicans

See also

• Demographics of Jamaica
• Jamaican British
• Jamaican American
• Jamaican Canadian
• Jamaican Australian
• Jamaicans in Ethiopia
• Afro-Costa Rican
• Afro-Nicaraguan
• Afro-Panamanian

References