Jamaica

Latin America & Caribbean·Upper middle income

Population: 2.84M; 139th of 217
GDP: $19.9B; 131st of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $7,020; 121st of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 71.5; 142nd of 217
Human development: 0.709; 108th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Jamaica

Ecuador

Suriname

Paraguay

Colombia

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

upper-middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; high crime, youth unemployment, and poverty; susceptible to natural disasters and global commodity price shocks; progress in reducing public debt and moderating inflation within target range

Area: 10,991 km²
Languages: English, Jamaican patois
Resources: bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian68.6%▼ 1.8pt
Unaffiliated23.7%▲ 1.9pt
Other7.6%

Religious diversity: 5.45 / 10 · moderate · 43rd of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

JAM

ECU

SUR

PRY

GDP

current US$

$19.9B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$165M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

46.4%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

9.8%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

18.3%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

1,962.7–––

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

0.609–––

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

–––

Population

people

2.84M–––

Population density

people per km²

262.2–––

Urban population

% of total

57.4%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.4–––

Net migration

people

-10.5K–––

Population under 15

% of total

18.7%–––

Population 65+

% of total

8.2%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

7.8%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

5.7%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

12.3K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

1,581.5–––

Electricity generation

TWh

4.5–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

5.45–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

23.7%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.2%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#131/214

$19.9B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#121/214

$7,0202024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#129/203

$11,467latest

GDP growth

annual %

#195/214

-0.7%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#114/207

$6,4902024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#133/213

4.9%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#139/201

$165M2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#128/205

46.4%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#75/206

9.8%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#145/208

18.3%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#78/187

4.4%latest

Gini index

0–100

#120/168

39.9latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#69/168

1.4%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#108/165

$7,4822022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#95/144

2.652023

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

#67/129

1,962.72023

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

#26/139

0.6092023

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

#102/119

0.3762023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#139/217

2.84Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#46/216

262.2latest

Urban population

% of total

#131/215

57.4%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#142/217

71.5latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#187/217

1.4latest

Net migration

people

#157/217

-10.5K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#136/217

18.7%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#112/217

8.2%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#122/196

18.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#115/196

19.3latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#66/192

7.8%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#139/195

0.6latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#37/199

5.7%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#121/194

26.4%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#89/210

83.4%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#103/214

115.12023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#98/208

15.82023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#151/215

1922024

Access to electricity

% of population

#148/215

97.7%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#104/198

12.3K2023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#122/202

1,581.52022

Electricity generation

TWh

#128/202

4.52022

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#147/202

12.9%2022

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#148/202

87.1%2022

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#90/204

8.42024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#100/204

32024

Share of global CO₂

#117/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#55/193

2.92023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#185/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#174/210

0.5%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#190/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#166/210

0.3%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#184/210

0.6512024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#27/175

0.8052025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#31/175

0.6792025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#46/175

0.8762025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#46/175

0.2072025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#4/175

0.9392025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#69/178

442022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#81/193

-0.02342022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#45/193

0.6042022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#87/193

-0.07192022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#75/193

0.382022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#14/175

0.9292025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#2/126

02025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#2/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#2/126

02025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#43/193

5.452020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#30/193

23.7%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#108/189

0.7092021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#80/170

0.3352021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#50/164

6.312025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#74/158

1.992023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#108/161

1.2%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.