Jamaica
Jamaica's first known encounter with Muslims was in the late 15th century when Spanish colonizers brought Muslims from Africa to the region for labor. Muslims from tribes such as Mandinka, Fula, Susu, Ashanti, and Hausa, who were primarily from West Africa, were enslaved in Jamaica and forced to convert to Christianity. However, it is known that the Muslim communities in the region showed resistance, in order to preserve their religious identity. Indians were the second Muslim community to arrive in the region. From the second half of the 19th century until the First World War, it is believed that some of the Indians who came to Jamaica as migrant workers were Muslims. After the second half of the 20th century, the country's Muslims began to acquire institutional structures and build worship places. Today, there are more than 10 mosques open for worship, 1 school owned by Muslims, and many non-governmental organizations in Jamaica.
The number of Muslims living in Jamaica today is estimated to be around 10,000, which is less than 1% of the population. However, the growing interest in Islam in the Caribbean and Latin American regions is also seen in Jamaica. In recent years, the proportion of the Muslim population in the country has increased considerably, not only as a result of Muslim immigrants from the Muslim world but also as a result of the conversion of the local population.
