Qibla direction in Jamaica
The Qibla in Jamaica lies towards the north-east. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 59.5° in Lucea to 60.4° in Morant Bay, and the Kaaba is between 11,800 km and 11,951 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 19 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in Jamaica can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 1.0°. Port Antonio is the closest to the Kaaba (11,800 km) and Savanna-la-Mar the farthest (11,951 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 60.2°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in Jamaica: questions
What is the Qibla direction in Kingston?
60.2° from true north, towards the north-east, 11,841 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in Jamaica is closest to Makkah?
Port Antonio, 11,800 km from the Kaaba, among the 19 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrett Town | 59.6° | north-east | 11,904 km |
| Black River | 59.7° | north-east | 11,936 km |
| Falmouth | 59.7° | north-east | 11,892 km |
| Half Way Tree | 60.2° | north-east | 11,841 km |
| Kingston | 60.2° | north-east | 11,841 km |
| Linstead | 60.1° | north-east | 11,855 km |
| Lucea | 59.5° | north-east | 11,942 km |
| Mandeville | 59.9° | north-east | 11,904 km |
| May Pen | 60.0° | north-east | 11,884 km |
| Montego Bay | 59.6° | north-east | 11,918 km |
| Morant Bay | 60.4° | north-east | 11,812 km |
| Ocho Rios | 60.0° | north-east | 11,847 km |
| Old Harbour | 60.1° | north-east | 11,873 km |
| Port Antonio | 60.3° | north-east | 11,800 km |
| Port Maria | 60.1° | north-east | 11,829 km |
| Portmore | 60.2° | north-east | 11,851 km |
| Savanna-la-Mar | 59.5° | north-east | 11,951 km |
| Spanish Town | 60.1° | north-east | 11,857 km |
| St Ann's Bay | 59.9° | north-east | 11,854 km |