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 Profile. CEPALSTAT. 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