Jamaica

Geography

Economics

Demographics

Military

Politics

Jamaica has a central, densely forested mountain range that runs from its eastern to its western coast through its center. Along its coast, there are large planes which are used by most of its population as well as agriculture. As an island state located in the Caribbean sea, Jamaica does not border other states. 

Surface

With 11.046 square kilometers, or 4.265 square miles, Jamaica is the 160th largest state in the world being slightly larger than Lebanon and smaller than Gambia. 

Surface (in square kilometers)

Surface (in square miles)

Surface (water)

Water Surface (in square kilometers)

Water Surface (in square miles)

Share of water (%)

Temperature

Average temperature (in Celcius)

Average temperature (in Farenheit)

Average high temperature (in Celcius)

Average high temperature (in Farenheit)

Average low temperature (in Celcius)

Average low temperature (in Farenheit)

Rainfall

The Capital, Kingston, Is home to 800.000 people. The capital that is closest located to Kingston is Port-au-prince Haiti. The capital that is furthest removed from Kinston is Jakarta Indonesia with a distance of 18.659 kilometres or 11.594 miles 

Average rainfall (mm)

Average rainfall (inch)

Distance to other capitals (kilometers)

Distance to other capitals (miles)

Proximity

The Jamaican economy is a mixed economy with a heavy reliance on agriculture, mining and tourism. This has led to a high dependence on international markets and has created an increase in public debt which led to Jamaica asking for support from the international monetary fund. Currently, Jamaica has decreased its depth to GDP ratio and has started to see slow economic growth. Most of the products that it exports are metals and agricultural products which are mainly exported to Russia and the United States which combined represent 50 percent of all exports. Most of its imports comes from the United States which is responsible for more than 45 percent of all imports. 

In total, Jamaica is a member of 13 international economic organizations which makes it the 77th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Caribbean Development Bank 
  • Inter-American Development Bank 
  • International Monetary Fund 
  • World Bank Group 
  • World Customs Organization 
  • World Trade Organization 
  • International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation 
  • Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States 
  • Caribbean Community 
  • International Renewable Energy Agency 
  • International Solar Alliance 
  • Group of 15 
  • Group of 77 

Economic organizations

Gross Domestic Product (US$)

Gross Domestic Product per capita

Amount of memberships (economic organizations)

Absolute earnings for every 1$

Relative earnings

GDP in PPP per capita (in US$)

The relative Gross Domestic Product in Purchasing Power Parity compares the purchasing power of this state with that of the rest of the world. The graph on the left shows how much purchasing power of 1$ compared to the purchasing power of other states

 

GDP in PPP per capita

Gross Domestic product (in million US$)

GDP per capita (in US$)

Surface GDP

GDP per square kilometer (in US$)

GDP per square mile(in US$)

Relative GDP in PPP

Population

Population density

Emigration

Immigration

Literacy

Health

Population density (in km2)

Population density (in mi2)

Religion

Christianity (share of the total population)

Islam (share of the total population)

Buddhism (share of the total population)

Hinduism (share of the total population)

Judaism (share of the total population)

Other religions (share of the total population)

Non-religious (share of the total population)

Military spending (in % of GDP)

Military spending

With a total of US$252 million, or 1.77 percent of its GDP, Jamaica is the 116th highest military spender in the world. 

The Jamaican military, called the Jamaica defense force consists of an army a navy and a coast guard. Most of its equipment are remnants of the military of the United Kingdom which also trains the Jamaican military. Aside from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States also provide military assistance to Jamaica.

Military membership

Jamaica is a member of five international military organizations which makes it the 74th most militarily connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces  
  • Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons  
  • Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty  
  • International Atomic Energy Agency   
  • Non-Aligned Movement 

Military membership

International wars

Jamaica has not partaken in any international wars. 

Number of international wars fought

Military spending (in US$ million)

Membership (international political organizations)

Jamaica is a member of 11 international political organizations which makes it the 105th most politically interconnected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Member states of the United Nations 
  • International Labour Organization 
  • Organization of American States 
  • Association of Caribbean States 
  • Community of Latin American and Caribbean States 
  • Commonwealth of Nations 

Political Membership

Democracy/dictatorship rating

With competitive elections that take place regularly, Jamaica is the 40th most democratic state in the world. This is only hampered by corruption that takes place at the local level. 

Democracy/Dictatorship

The politics of Jamaica are also inherited from the United Kingdom and based on the British model. It has a parliamentary democracy where the Prime Minister is head of state as well as head of government. 

  • Interpol 

  • Alliance of Small Island States 

  • Association of World Election Bodies 

  • South Centre 

  • World Organisation for Animal Health 

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If you want to know more about other states, click on the flag on the right to discover Japan.

Around 95 percent of Jamaica's 2.9 million people are descendants of African slaves. The remaining five percent are mainly immigrants from Europe as well as China and India. After the takeover by the British Empire, Spanish was supplanted for English which is currently the official language in Jamaica. 

Known for its alcoholic beverages as well as being the birthplace of reggae, Jamaica has only been independent since 1962. Before contact with Europeans, Jamaica was inhabited by the Arawak people. After its first contact by Christopher Columbus at the end of the 15th century, Jamaica became a part of the Spanish Empire. During the second half of the 17th century, the island was taken over by the British Empire. During this time, the Arawak population was decimated by disease which led to large shipments of African slaves to Jamaica where they were put into work in banana and sugar cane plantations. After the abolishment of slavery in 1838, Jamaica still remained a part of the British Empire. Between 1838 and 1962, riots and protests demanding Jamaican independence were rigidly put down by the British. In 1962, Jamaica proclaimed its independence, but still remained a part of the British Commonwealth. Since then, Jamaica has seen some economic downturn but has remained stable compared to other states that gained their independence from the British Empire.

It is the 136th state with the highest amount of surface water which is 161 square kilometers or 62 square miles. 

 

Below, a graph is shown which displays the absolute amount of water of each state in square kilometers and square miles.

The Jamaican limestone plane serves as a natural aquifer that provides most of the water supply for its agriculture. With slight treatment, the same water is used as drinking water. 

As the 53rd warmest state in the world, Jamaica has an average temperature of 25.2 degrees Celsius or 77.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of its location near the equator, Jamaica experiences a tropical climate with hot and oppressive temperatures all year round. 

During the wet season, Jamaica experiences an average temperature of 29.4 degrees Celsius or 84.9 degrees Fahrenheit. 

During the dry season, the average temperature is 22.3 degrees Celsius or 72.1 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The wet season occurs between July and October. With 135 centimetres, or 53.1 inches of annual rainfall, Jamaica ranks 63rd. 

Its GDP, with US$15.3 billion is the 123rd highest in the world. 

Its GDP per service area is US$1.3 million per square kilometer or US$3.5 million per square mile which makes it the 57th highest in the world. 

Its GDP per capita is US$5.276 which is the 102nd highest in the world. 

The absolute earnings (GDP per capita) reflect the average yearly income. The figure below shows how much, on average, an inhabitant of another state earns for every $1 earned by a citizen of this state.

Its purchasing power, with US$9.872 is the 124th highest in the world. 

Jamaica has the 38th highest population density in the world with 262 people per square kilometer or 679 people per square mile. 

Around 40 percent of the population, or just over 1 million people have migrated to other states. The main reason for migration is economic opportunities abroad. Despite being a former British colony, the United Kingdom only houses 15 percent of all migrants while the United States and Canada house the remaining 85 percent. 

Immigration to Jamaica has been limited due to government regulations as well as a lack of facilitation for migration. Most of the 20.000 migrants consist of people that have re-migrated back to Jamaica from north America. The total amount of immigrants represents 0.7 percent of the total population. 

With a literacy rate of 88 percent, Jamaica is the 119th most literate state in the world. This is despite six years of free and compulsory education that is in the form of primary school. 

Despite having the 55th highest life expectancy in the world with an average age of 74.9 years, there are serious health risks to the Jamaican population. Some of these are easily preventable such as the transmission of communicable diseases such as HIV AIDS and tuberculosis as well as a high murder rate and traffic incidents. Other health risks to the Jamaican population are mainly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. These are mostly treated in public facilities that are provided for free by the Jamaican government. 

The Jamaican government provides freedom of religion towards most religions. Some exceptions are made towards the voodoo religion which has been declared illegal by the Jamaican government. Its schooling system provides religious education which has not been tailored towards a specific religion, with the exception of religious schools. 

As the 70th most Christian state in the world, Christianity is represented by 75.2 percent of the population. 

 

On the right, the global share of Christians per state is displayed 

With a representation of 0.1 percent of the population, Jamaica is the 160th most Islamic state in the world and represents less than 5.000 people. Islam was introduced to Jamaica with the introduction of African slaves. Today, a large part of the Muslims is represented by Indian immigrants that arrived in Jamaica after the abolishment of slavery in order to work on its sugar plantations. 

There are no official Buddhist organizations in Jamaica. 

Jamaica is home to less than 5.000 Hindus, or approximately 0.06 percent of the population. Until the 1950s, the hindu population represented around two percent of the population. However, due to high amounts of conversion to Christianity, this number rapidly decreased. 

The first Jews arrived in Jamaica as a result of the Spanish Inquisition. These were mainly refugees from Portugal and Spain. For more than 300 years, Jews did not enjoy the same rights as Jamaican citizens. Today, around 0.04 percent of the Jamaican population is Jewish and are mainly located in and around Kingston. 

One of the more known religions in Jamaica is the Rastafari movement which is represented by 3.68 percent of the population. Jamaica is the birthplace of Rastafarianism which started in 1930 when the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie is considered to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. 

Irreligion is followed by 11.52 percent of the population which is mainly the result of the decline of the Christian church.