Jamaica is where languages, culture and cuisine meet and blend into one of the most unique places on the planet. The island nation’s innovators and visionaries were responsible for a myriad of ‘firsts’ that transcended development in other countries and its rich history continues to make a mark on the global stage. Despite millions of visitors each year, there’s a myriad of facts unique to the island of which many people are unaware. Here are 50 interesting facts about Jamaica.

1. Jamaicans are the fastest runners on earth and most come from the Trelawny area – including Usain Bolt
2. The nation has an active bobsled team and was the basis of the movie “Cool Runnings”
3. Author Ian Fleming owned land in Jamaica and where he wrote his James Bond novels
4. Reggae music originated there
5. Music superstar, Bob Marley, was born in Jamaica
6. Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc originated hip-hop and rap music
7. Port Royal was called the “wickedest city on earth” in the 17^th century due to pirate activity
8. AT&T copied the Jamaican phone system for use in the U.S.
9. Jamaica built its first railroad in 1845
10. There’s a thriving aviation industry on the island
11. The country had electricity and running water before the U.S. in 1893
12. One of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Port Royal, Jamaica
13. The Historic Cast Iron Bridge spanning the Rio Cobre River is the oldest of its kind in the western hemisphere
14. The ackee is the country’s national fruit and it’s the only place people eat it
15. Residents drink more cranberry water and cranberry juice per capita than any other country
16. Over 200 orchids grow wild in Jamaica
17. The world’s second-largest butterfly, the Giant Swallowtail, lives in Jamaica
18. It was the first Caribbean country to have its own website
19. The mongoose was introduced in 1872 to kill rats and they also killed off most of the native snake species
20. Blue Mountain Coffee is grown in Jamaica and is one of the most expensive and highly-sought
21. Ginger ale was created in Jamaica
22. Fourth Jamaican women have won the Miss World title
23. Several top models have come from Jamaica or descent from Jamaicans, including Naomi Campbell and Grace Jones
24. Jamaica has the most rum bars per square mile
25. It was the first British colonial territory to create a postal system – in 1688
26. The Manchester Golf Club, established 1865 in Jamaica, makes it the oldest in the western hemisphere
27. The ortanique fruit, developed in Jamaica, is a cross between an orange and a tangerine
28. The most expensive rum in the world is produced in Jamaica
29. It has the most radioactive mineral spa in the world – Milk River Bath
30. On a clear day, the outline of Cuba can be seen from Jamaica’s Blue Mountain range
31. The island has the largest cell phone penetration per capita in the world
32. It was the first in the western world to produce bananas commercially
33. The country is recognized by Guinness World Records as having the most churches per square mile. There are over 1,600 “churches” all over Jamaica.
34. The “Doctor Bird” hummingbird is found only in Jamaica and is its national bird
35. Jamaica is home to several natural, thermally-heated mineral springs that are Jamaica National Heritage Trusts
36. The first newspaper was the “Weekly Jamaica Courant” published in 1718
37. Jamaica’s national anthem is the only one in the world that’s also a prayer
38. It’s the fourth-largest producer of bauxite needed to make aluminum
39. The nation has more multiple live births than any other country
40. It’s socially unacceptable to use a person’s first name unless invited
41. Nickels were first used in 1869
42. Jamaican-born Tessa Sanderson was the first black British woman to win Olympic gold in 1984
43. The country has over 952 identified caves
44. The nation has more than 120 rivers
45. Jamaica perfected the game of Dominoes
46. The nation is ranked third in the world as a tourist destination
47. Commercial radio broadcasts began on July 9, 1950
48. Jamaican-born aviator, Capt. Barrington Irving, Jr., broke round-the-world solo flying records
49. The first settlers were the Taino, an Arawak people, and the name Jamaica is a translation of their word Xaymaca which means “Land of Wood and Water”
50. Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh is the longest-reigning Miss World in history

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