Population density: 249/km2 (646/mi2)
Main languages spoken: English Creole, English Most Jamaicans are the descendants of Africans brought to the island between the 16th and 19th centuries, but there are small minorities of Europeans, Indians, Chinese, and Arabs. Most social tension is the result of the marked disparities in wealth. The Caribbean women's rights movement originated in Jamaica, and today many Jamaican women hold senior positions in economic and political life. Life in the ghettos of Kingston is often violent and based largely on gun law; the capital has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Jamaican music styles, including ska, ragga, and reggae, have become popular across the world. Reggae is particularly connected to Jamaica's Rastafarians, followers of the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie. THE URBAN/RURAL POPULATION SPLIT
 RELIGIOUS PERSUASION
 From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004 | 
