2007 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

note

for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181) 15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks

Airports

35 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

24 914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m

22 (2006)

Area

land

10,831 sq km

total

10,991 sq km

water

160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Background

The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs created by the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy. Geography Jamaica

Birth rate

20.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$3.564 billion; including capital expenditures of $180.4 million (2006 est.)

revenues

$3.302 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates

18 00 N, 76 48 W

name

Kingston

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 (code)

Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code

JMD

Current account balance

$-970 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$7.384 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON

embassy

Mutual Life Building, 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

chancery

1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY

telephone

[1] (202) 452-0660

Disputes - international

none

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.9 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)

Economy - overview

The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina. Jamaica's economy, already saddled with a record of relatively low growth, was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in late 2004, and is making a gradual recovery. But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a high debt burden - the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. Following a strategy begun in 2004, Jamaica has reduced its public debt to 130% of GDP. Inflation has declined to 9%. Uncertain economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the drug trade. The government faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.

Electricity - consumption

6.429 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

6.913 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

96.8%

hydro

1.8%

nuclear

0%

other

1.4% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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 - 65.9329 (2006), 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February 2006)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30 March 2006)

Exports

$2.087 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners

US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%, Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 452-0081

[1] (876) 935-6001

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Jamaica

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5.3%

industry

33.9%

services

60.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.579 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$12.71 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Geography - note

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

Government type

constitutional parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

22,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.3% (2000)

lowest 10%

2.7%

Illicit drugs

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; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$4.682 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials

Imports - partners

US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005)

Independence

6 August 1962 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (2000 est.)

Industries

tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications

Infant mortality rate

female

15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

16.66 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.1% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.jm

Internet hosts

1,402 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

21 (2000)

Internet users

1.067 million (2005) Transportation Jamaica

Investment (gross fixed)

30.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2002)

Jamaica Defense Force

Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

1.197 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

19.3%

industry

16.6%

services

64.1% (2004)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

15.83%

other

74.16% (2005)

permanent crops

10.01%

Languages

English, patois English

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

elections

last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than October 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.03 years (2006 est.)

male

71.54 years

total population

73.24 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

91.6% (2003 est.) Government Jamaica

male

84.1%

total population

87.9%

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

616,500 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

592,018

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

504,541 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

478,761

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

27,889 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

27,923

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

23.5 years (2006 est.)

male

22.4 years

total

23 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned

10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)

total

10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$31.17 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (2003 est.) Transnational Issues Jamaica

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Nationality

adjective

Jamaican

noun

Jamaican(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Natural resources

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Net migration rate

-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

71,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]

Political pressure groups and leaders

New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Population

2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

19.1% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.8% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point Military Jamaica

Public debt

129.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

1.215 million (1997)

Railways

note

207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

standard gauge

272 km 1.435-m gauge

total

272 km

Religions

Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.15 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

15,386 km (including 33 km of expressways)

total

20,996 km

unpaved

5,610 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

fully automatic domestic telephone network

international

country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Telephones - main lines in use

342,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.7 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

7 (1997)

Televisions

460,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Total fertility rate

2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Jamaica is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and labor; information suggests that women from the Dominican Republic and Eastern Europe are also trafficked to Jamaica for sexual exploitation; women and children are trafficked internally from rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual exploitation; there may also be trafficking for domestic servitude and forced labor

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Jamaica is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List based on the determination that it is making significant efforts to undertake future action

Unemployment rate

11% (2006 est.)