JAMAICA

Official name: JAMAICA

Date of membership: 4 April 1976

Capital: Kingston

Government

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

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dr. Patrick L. Allen (since 26 February 2009).

Head of government: Prime Minister Hon. Andrew Holness

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).

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

Internet country code: .jm

Official Portal Web: http://www.jis.gov.jm

Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Area: 10,991 sq km

Coastline: 1,022 km

Natural resources: Bauxite, gypsum, limestone

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.

Economic indicators 

Total at current prices   14849 Millions USD 2017
GDP Per capita 5137 USD 2017
Growth rate per capita at constant prices 1.7 % 2017
Country share in regional GDP 0.3 % 2017
Imports of goods and services (GDP in currente prices)  -48.5 % 2017
Exports of goods and services  (GDP in currente prices) 34.1 % 2017

Source: Jamaica: Economic National ProfileCEPALSTAT. Databases and Statistical Publications. ECLAC. On line. Inquiry: July 07, 2019.

Socio-demographic indicators

Total population  2906 (000) 2019
Life expectancy 76 Years 2015-2020
Women 79 Years 2015-2020
Men 74 Years 2015-2020
Public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP 5.9 % 2015
Literacy rate for persons between the ages of 15 to 24 96.3 % 2014
Net rate of enrolment in primary education 91.5 % 2004
Net rate of enrolment in secondary education 74.1 % 2017
Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP 5.3 % 2017
Gini Coefficient NA  NA NN
Unemployment 7.7 % 2017

Source: Jamaica: National Socio-Demographic Profile.  CEPALSTAT. Data Bases and Statistical Publications.ECLAC. On line. Inquiry: July 07, 2019. NA= Data not available.

Languages: English, patois