2001 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.7% (male 405,189; female 386,555) 15-64 years: 63.52% (male 845,226; female 847,944) 65 years and over: 6.78% (male 80,667; female 100,055) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Airports

35 (2000 est.)

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 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2000 est.) Jamaica Military

Area

total: 10,990 sq km land: 10,830 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

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. Jamaica Geography

Birth rate

18.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Capital

Kingston

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Coastline

1,022 km

Constitution

6 August 1962

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

Currency

Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code

JMD

Death rate

5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$4.7 billion (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

$102.7 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal policies have helped slow inflation - although inflationary pressures are mounting - and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in the slowdown of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in 1995). In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%) and remained negative through 1999. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions in 1999-2000 led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the labor environment, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

Electricity - consumption

6.073 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

6.53 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 92.28% hydro: 1.36% nuclear: 0% other: 6.36% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

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

Ethnic groups

black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Exchange rates

Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 45.557 (January 2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997), 37.120 (1996)

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

Exports

$1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Exports - partners

US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.8%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999)

FAX

[1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

[1] (876) 926-6743

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Jamaica Communications

Flag description

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side) Jamaica Economy

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 7.4% industry: 35.2% services: 57.4% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.2% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Geography - note

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal Jamaica People

Government type

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Highways

total: 19,000 km paved: 13,433 km unpaved: 5,567 km (1997)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.71% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

650 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

9,900 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.9% (1996)

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

Imports

$3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 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)

Independence

6 August 1962 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (2000 est.)

Industries

tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products

Infant mortality rate

14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.8% (2000 est.)

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 (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.jm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

21 (2000)

Internet users

60,000 (2000) Jamaica Transportation

Irrigated land

350 sq km (1993 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Labor force

1.13 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 14% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 24% forests and woodland: 17% other: 39% (1993 est.)

Languages

English, Creole

Legal system

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.42 years male: 73.45 years female: 77.49 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 85% male: 80.8% female: 89.1% (1995 est.) Jamaica Government

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,930 GRT/3,065 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Military branches

Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$30 million (FY95/96 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA% Jamaica Transnational Issues

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 736,627 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 517,077 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 27,729 (2001 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Nationality

noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Natural hazards

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Natural resources

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Net migration rate

-7.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 10 km

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)

Population

2,665,636 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

34.2% (1992 est.)

Population growth rate

0.51% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

1.215 million (1997)

Railways

total: 370 km standard gauge: 370 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway Corporation in common carrier service, but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite

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%

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 (2001 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Telephones - main lines in use

353,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular

54,640 (1996)

Television broadcast stations

7 (1997)

Televisions

460,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Total fertility rate

2.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

16% (2000 est.)

Waterways

none