Jamaica Flag
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Brief History. Jamaican island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494 and was settled by the Spannish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs created by the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering.
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