| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
|
|
Jamaica |
|
|
| Introduction | Jamaica |
|
Background:
|
Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s. |
| Geography | Jamaica |
|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
18 15 N, 77 30 W |
|
Map references:
|
Central America and the Caribbean |
|
Area:
|
total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than Connecticut |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,022 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM |
|
Climate:
|
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
bauxite, gypsum, limestone |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 16%
permanent crops: 9% other: 75% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
250 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
hurricanes (especially July to November) |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal |
| People | Jamaica |
|
Population:
|
2,680,029 (July 2002 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 29.1% (male 399,249; female 380,864)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 858,433; female 859,174) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 81,321; female 100,988) (2002 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.56% (2002 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
17.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-6.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
13.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 75.64 years
female: 77.73 years (2002 est.) male: 73.65 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.05 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.71% (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
9,900 (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
650 (1999 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1% |
|
Religions:
|
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7% |
|
Languages:
|
English, patois English |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 85% male: 80.8% female: 89.1% (1995 est.) |
| Government | Jamaica |
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jamaica |
|
Government type:
|
constitutional parliamentary democracy |
|
Capital:
|
Kingston |
|
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 |
|
Independence:
|
6 August 1962 (from UK) |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962) |
|
Constitution:
|
6 August 1962 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists) |
|
International organization participation:
|
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (876) 926-6743 |
|
Flag description:
|
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side) |
| Economy | Jamaica |
|
Economy - overview:
|
The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy grew 0.8% in 2000 and 1.1% in 2001, but the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic recovery. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
1.1% (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 7%
industry: 28% services: 65% (2000 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
34.2% (1992 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 28.9% (1996) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
36.4 (1996) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
6.9% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
1.13 million (1998) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
16% (2000 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $2.23 billion
expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
-2% (2000 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
6.74 billion kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 89.44%
hydro: 3.22% other: 7.34% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
6.27 billion kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2000) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk |
|
Exports:
|
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.9%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999) |
|
Imports:
|
$3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 47.8%, Caricom countries 12.4%, Latin America 7.2%, EU (excluding UK) 4.7% (1999) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$5.2 billion (2001 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$102.7 million (1995) |
|
Currency:
|
Jamaican dollar (JMD) |
|
Currency code:
|
JMD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 47.277 (December 2001), 45.996 (2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April - 31 March |
| Communications | Jamaica |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
353,000 (1996) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
54,640 (1996) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
1.215 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
7 (1997) |
|
Televisions:
|
460,000 (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.jm |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
21 (2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
60,000 (2000) |
| Transportation | Jamaica |
|
Railways:
|
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite (2000) |
|
Highways:
|
total: 19,000 km
paved: 13,433 km unpaved: 5,567 km (1997) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Pipelines:
|
petroleum products 10 km |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,954 GRT/25,250 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Latvia 2, United States 2 (2002 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
35 (2001) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2001) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2001) |
| Military | Jamaica |
|
Military branches:
|
Jamaica Defense Force (including Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 15-49: 747,043 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 15-49: 523,550 (2002 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males: 27,729 (2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$30 million (FY95/96 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
NA% |
| Transnational Issues | Jamaica |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern |
|
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 |