Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, formerly a colony of the British Empire until it was granted full independence in 1962. It lies immediately west of La Hispaniola, the island famous as the starting point of the European colonies in the Caribbean and now home to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Its northern neighbor is Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean and 95 miles (150km) away. As is the case for almost all inhabited Caribbean islands, Jamaica is relatively long and thin, measuring 145 miles (233km) from east to west and less than a third of that distance from north to south.
Tourism and mining (predominantly bauxite and aluminum) are the country's key exports, although agriculture also forms a significant part of its income. The Jamaican capital, Kingston, lies at a latitude of precisely 18 degrees north, placing the island roughly 1000 miles (1609km) south of the Wine Belt, the latitudes between which quality viniculture is practiced. There have been very few attempts to make wine on Jamaica, and the island's agriculture has focused heavily on other raw ingredients, notably coffee and sugar (for rum).
Jamaican rum is exported to countries around the world. Its most famous brand is arguably Appleton Estate, which is distilled by J. Wray & Nephew and has been in production since 1749. Appleton Estate land currently covers more than 11,000 acres (4500ha).
Red Stripe lager beer is another Jamaican icon and was first brewed there in 1928, although at first it was made in a heavier style than it is today. The Jamaican Red Stripe brewery is located in Hunt's Bay, at the western edge of Kingston. Red Stripe is also brewed under licence in the UK and Canada, although even in these markets the label states 'Jamaica beer'.
