You may have been to the island 20 times and still have never heard of these quick facts about Jamaica.

It's no fault of yours. 

In fact, some of the islanders themselves might scratch their heads at these little-known facts!

Getting to know the history, culture, and great milestones of your favorite vacation destination will allow you to enjoy your Jamaica experiences even more.

Importantly, you'll make sense of the historical edifices, customs, and traditions that you stumble across while you tour the island.

Brush up on your Jamaican facts below because you never know when you’ll be asked a trivia question in the games at your hotel!

1. Jamaica was the first island in the Caribbean to produce rum on a commercial basis.

Okay, maybe you would have guessed that one! 



2. We’re home to the oldest golf club in the Western Hemisphere: The Manchester Golf Club, established in 1868.

3. Jamaica was the first country in the Western world to construct a railway, even before the United States!

This was only 18 years after Britain. We were also the first British colony to establish a postal service.

4. Jamaica is the first team from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for the FIFA (soccer) World Cup.

This was the 1998 championship.



5. Apart from the United States, Jamaica has won the most world and Olympic medals.

And we’re a little bit smaller than they are!
 

6. Jamaica was the first tropical country to enter the IOC Winter Olympics.

The bobsled team's efforts inspired the film, ‘Cool Runnings’.

 



7. We have the second-largest butterfly in the world (the Giant Swallowtail).

 

8. Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean region to launch a website, jamaicatravel.com.

This was in 1994.

9. The Jamaican flag is the ONLY flag in the world that doesn't share any of the colors of the American flag. 


10. Port Royal in Jamaica was once labeled 'the wickedest city on Earth'.

Okay…maybe you knew the last one!

Now you will certainly win that trivia prize as a true Jamaica scholar!