Introduction
Background
Native Taino inhabited Jamaica for centuries before Spanish settlement early in the 16th century. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. Jamaica gained full independence in 1962.
Geography
Area
total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km
water: 160 sq km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Natural resources
bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone
People and Society
Population
total: 2,823,713
male: 1,397,495
female: 1,426,218 (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.)
Languages
English, Jamaican patois
Religions
Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.)
Population growth rate
0.1% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital
name: Kingston
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Sir Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26 February 2009); note - the Jamaican Government, in May 2023, announced plans to hold a referendum in 2024 to determine whether or not to remain in the Commonwealth or become a republic
head of government: Prime Minister Andrew HOLNESS (since 3 March 2016)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (21 seats; 13 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and 8 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the opposition party leader; members serve 5-year terms (no term limits) or until Parliament is dissolved)
House of Representatives (63 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms (no term limits) or until Parliament is dissolved)
Economy
Economic overview
upper middle-income Caribbean island economy; ongoing debt restructuring; hurricane-vulnerable economy; high crime, youth unemployment, and poverty; susceptible to commodity shocks from ongoing Russia invasion of Ukraine
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$28.579 billion (2022 est.)
$27.161 billion (2021 est.)
$25.966 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$10,100 (2022 est.)
$9,600 (2021 est.)
$9,200 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, yams, goat milk, chicken, coconuts, oranges, bananas, pumpkins/squash, plantains, sweet potatoes (2022)
Industries
agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction, financial and insurance services, tourism, telecommunications
Exports
$6.424 billion (2022 est.)
$4.401 billion (2021 est.)
$3.249 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
US 57%, Russia 5%, Canada 4%, UK 4%, Iceland 2% (2022)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, aluminum oxide, liquor, aluminum ore (2022)
Imports
$9.726 billion (2022 est.)
$7.405 billion (2021 est.)
$5.913 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
US 36%, China 12%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, Brazil 5%, Turkey 4% (2022)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, cars, plastic products (2022)
Exchange rates
Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
153.427 (2022 est.)
150.79 (2021 est.)
142.403 (2020 est.)
133.312 (2019 est.)
128.872 (2018 est.)
Page last updated: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
