Jamaica

Parliamentary Democracy (Parliament) Under A Constitutional MonarchyPop2.9MGDP (PPP)$29.1BCI61Beta CP+0.3→Beta

Jamaica

⌘K

Overview

Background: Europeans first saw Jamaica when Christopher COLUMBUS arrived in 1494, and the Spanish settled the island early in the 16th century. The Native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced with African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter-million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958, it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica withdrew from the Federation in 1961 and gained full independence in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurring violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, corruption, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.

Geography

Area

Land: 10,831 sq km
Water: 160 sq km
Total: 10,991 sq km

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Land Use

Other: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 56.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.)

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Coastline: 1,022 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Mean elevation: 18 m

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2012)
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Land Boundaries

Total: 0 km

Maritime Claims

Note: note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
Geography note: third largest island in the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola); strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
Natural resources: bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone
Area comparative: about half the size of New Jersey; slightly smaller than Connecticut
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W
Population distribution: population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel

People & Society

Literacy

Female: 90.8% (2022 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.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 16.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 30.1 years
Total: 28.8 years (2025 est.)
Female: 31.7 years

Population

Male: 1,453,759
Total: 2,938,503 (2025 est.)
Female: 1,484,744

Nationality

Noun: Jamaican(s)
Adjective: Jamaican

Tobacco Use

Male: 15.1% (2025 est.)
Total: 9% (2025 est.)
Female: 3.1% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 23.8% (male 342,691/female 329,773)
15 64 years: 65.7% (male 914,364/female 941,816)
65 years and over: 10.4% (2024 est.) (male 140,440/female 154,629)

Ethnic groups: Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 50.6 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 36 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.6 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 7.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 85.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 91.1% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 14.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 8.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 17.9% national budget (2024 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 14.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 0.25% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.91 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 74.5 years
Female: 78.1 years
Total population: 76.3 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 130 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 3.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 597,000 KINGSTON (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.7% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 21.2 years (2008 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 35.2% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.5% (2018 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 12 years (2015 est.)
Total: 13 years (2015 est.)
Female: 14 years (2015 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

Flag: description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles, two green (top and bottom) and two black (left and right)

meaning: green stands for hope, vegetation, and agriculture; black for hardships overcome and to be faced; and yellow for sunshine and natural resources

Capital

Name: Kingston
Etymology: the name is a blend of the words "king's" and "town;" named after the English king at the time of the city's founding in 1692, WILLIAM III 
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: yes
Citizenship BY descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 5 years

Constitution

History: several previous (pre-independence); latest drafted 1961-62, submitted to British Parliament 24 July 1962, entered into force 6 August 1962 (at independence)
Amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to "non-entrenched" constitutional sections, such as lowering the voting age, requires majority vote by the Parliament membership; passage of amendments to "entrenched" sections, such as fundamental rights and freedoms, requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; passage of amendments to "specially entrenched" sections such as the dissolution of Parliament or the executive authority of the monarch requires two-thirds approval by Parliament and approval in a referendum

Country Name

Etymology: from the Arawak word xaymaca, meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or possibly "Land of Springs"
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Jamaica

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from the UK)
Legal system: common law system based on the English model
Government type: parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Judicial Branch

Note: note: appeals beyond Jamaica's highest courts are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) rather than to the Caribbean Court of Justice (the appellate court for member states of the Caribbean Community)
Highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of president of the court and a minimum of 4 judges); Supreme Court (40 judges organized in specialized divisions)
Subordinate courts: resident magistrate courts, district courts, and petty sessions courts
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice of the Supreme Court and president of the Court of Appeal appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister; other judges of both courts appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; judges of both courts serve till age 70

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Sir Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26 February 2009)
Head of government: Prime Minister Andrew HOLNESS (since 3 March 2016)
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives as prime minister

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1962)
National color(s): green, yellow, black

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 2 ( 1mixed,1 cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales: Blue and John Crow Mountains (m); The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal (c)

Political parties: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP
Jamaica Progressive Party or JPP
People's National Party or PNP
United Independents' Congress or UIC

Legislative Branch

Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Jamaica, Land We Love"
History: adopted 1962
Lyrics/music: Hugh Braham SHERLOCK/Robert Charles LIGHTBOURNE

National symbol(s): green-and-black streamertail (bird), guaiacwood (Guiacum officinale)
Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name: House of Representatives
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 63 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 9/3/2025
Expected date of next election: August 2030
Percentage of women in chamber: 30.2%
Parties elected and seats per party: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (35); People's National Party (PNP) (28)

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name: Senate
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 21 (all appointed)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 9/18/2025
Expected date of next election: September 2030
Percentage of women in chamber: 33.3%

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 452-0036
Chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
Chief of mission: Ambassador Antony B. ANDERSON (since 24 July 2025)
Consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Email address and website: contactus@jamaicaembassy.org

Jamaican Embassy (embassyofjamaica.org)

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: (876) 702-6348
Embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6
Telephone: (876) 702-6000
Mailing address: 3210 Kingston Place, Washington DC  20521-3210
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Scott RENNER (since 13 August 2025)
Email address and website: KingstonACS@state.gov

https://jm.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Legislature

JAMAICA · LOWER HOUSE

House of Representatives

63 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)

Parties

All political parties2 parties · 63 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Upper house

JAMAICA · UPPER HOUSE

Senate

21 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

People's National Party

Parties

All political parties2 parties · 21 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

CI
Charles III
- Head of StateSince 2022
AH
Andrew Holness
- Head of GovernmentDate unknown

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $4.041 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $4.466 billion (2020 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $6.424 billion (2022 est.)

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $6.424 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $7.275 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $7.124 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $9.726 billion (2022 est.)

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $9.726 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $9.866 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $9.524 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction, financial and insurance services, tourism, telecommunications
Labor force: 1.57 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 97.9%

Note: note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2020: 106.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 21.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 18.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 17.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 142.403 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 150.79 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 153.427 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 154.159 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 156.44 (2024 est.)

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $9.636 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview: 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

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.3%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 4.1% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 4.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 4.9% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: USA 37%, Russia 7%, Latvia 7%, Iceland 7%, UK 5% (2023)
Imports partners: USA 39%, China 11%, Brazil 4%, Colombia 4%, Japan 4% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $12,890

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $10,100 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $10,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $10,300 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): -0.5%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: -0.7% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: sugarcane, goat milk, yams, chicken, oranges, coconuts, bananas, plantains, pumpkins/squash, pineapples (2023)
Exports commodities: aluminum oxide, refined petroleum, natural gas, liquor, processed fruits and nuts (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, crude petroleum, plastic products (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): $678.8M

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: -$136.401 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $568.932 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: $678.808 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 25.7% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $19.93 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 76.2% (2019 est.)
Government consumption: 13.6% (2019 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2019 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2019 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 38% (2019 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -52.1% (2019 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16.7% (2021 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 5.4%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 10.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 5.4% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: -1.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $29.13 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $28.596 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $29.341 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $29.13 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 12.9% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 14.5% (2024 est.)
Female: 16.4% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $4.838 billion (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $4.52 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $4.869 billion (2023 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 18.3% (2024 est.)
Services: 60.3% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 9.8% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 2.2% (2021 est.)
Highest 10%: 29.6% (2021 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2021: 39.9 (2021 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 105,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 106,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption: 3.301 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 1.242 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.181 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Imports: 822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 42.095 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 6.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 87.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 83% (2023 est.)

Broadcast media: 3 free-to-air TV stations, subscription cable services, and roughly 30 radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .jm

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 459,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 3.34 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 448,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 2
Medium: 1
Key ports: Falmouth, Kingston, Lucea, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Rio Bueno, Rocky Point, Savannah la Mar
Very small: 8
Total ports: 11 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 5

Airports: 20 (2025)
Heliports: 2 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 40 (2023)
BY type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 11, oil tanker 1, other 27

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 6Y

Environment

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Land Use

Other: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 56.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.052 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston from vehicle emissions; land erosion

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 339.867 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 43.989 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural: 78.972 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 7.89 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.611 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 239,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 6.04 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 14.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 10.823 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Military & Security

Military note: in addition to its responsibility of defending against external aggression, the Jamaican Defense Force's (JDF) primary missions are border, cyber, internal, and maritime security; other missions include search and rescue, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping; it has arrest authority and partners with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), particularly in support of combating crime and violence; both the JDF and JCF are under the Ministry of National Security, which directs policy for the security forces; the JDF participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, including with the armed forces of Canada, the UK, the US, and other Caribbean nations

while Jamaica had a militia force as early as the 1660s, the JDF was constituted in 1962 from the West India Regiment (WIR), a British colonial regiment which dates back to 1795 (2025)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.3%

Military expenditures 2020: 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 1.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military and security forces: Jamaica Defense Force (JDF): Jamaica Regiment (Land Force), Maritime, Air, and Cyber Command (MACC), Support Brigade, Caribbean Military Academy, Jamaica National Reserve (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent) for men and women; 18-28 for the reserves; no conscription; since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC), which has a service requirement of 12 months (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the JDF's inventory features equipment mostly from Australia, the Netherlands, and the US (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 4,000 active Jamaica Defense Forces (2025)

Transnational Issues

Illicit Drugs

Usg identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index61.0 / 100as of 2024-Q463 / 1902024-Q4

Civica Pulse+0.3as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.68as of 2024-Q433 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Jamaica — vintage 2026-Q1: Jamaica factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/jamaica

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Jamaica

Area

Land Use

Elevation

Land Boundaries

Maritime Claims

Literacy

Sex Ratio

Median Age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco Use

Urbanization

Age Structure

Dependency Ratios

Health Expenditure

Drinking Water Source

Education Expenditure

Infant Mortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

Sanitation Facility Access

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

How power is organised

Capital

Citizenship

Constitution

Country Name

Judicial Branch

Executive Branch

National Heritage

Legislative Branch

National Anthem(s)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Diplomatic Representation from the US

House of Representatives

Senate

Current

Charles III

Andrew Holness

Budget

Exports

Imports

Public Debt

Remittances

Exchange Rates

Debt External

Unemployment Rate

Real GDP Per Capita

Real GDP Growth Rate

Current Account Balance

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural Gas

Electricity Access

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Electricity Generation Sources

Internet Users

Telephones Fixed Lines

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Ports

Merchant Marine

Land Use

Urbanization

Waste and Recycling

Total Water Withdrawal

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

International Environmental Agreements