Jamaica

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

21 (2000)

Internet country code

.jm

Internet users

100,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

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)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY 99/00 est.)

Currency

Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code

JMD

Debt - external

$5.3 billion (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.9 (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy inched ahead, by 0.8% in 2000, 1.7% in 2001, and 0.8% in 2002; the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September 2001 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 serious violent crime. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment and tourism, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.

Electricity - consumption

5.833 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

6.272 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% other: 1.5% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 48.42 (2002), 46 (2001), 42.7 (2000), 39.04 (1999), 36.55 (1998)

Exports

$1.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Exports - partners

US 28.1%, Canada 12.2%, Norway 10.7%, UK 10.5%, Germany 7%, Netherlands 5.6% (2002)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.08 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6% industry: 31% services: 63% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Imports

$3.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers

Imports - partners

US 45%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 4.7% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (2002 est.)

Labor force

1.13 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Oil - consumption

66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

34.2% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

15.4% (2002 est.)

Area

total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Coastline

1,022 km

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

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 9.23% other: 74.7% (1998 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes (especially July to November)

Natural resources

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Terrain

mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

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

Capital

Kingston

Constitution

6 August 1962

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

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) 935-6001

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

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) 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; 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

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Independence

6 August 1962 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

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 16 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

National holiday

Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military branches

Jamaica Defense Force (including 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%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 755,698 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 528,689 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 27,398 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.6% (male 395,074; female 376,870) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 870,486; female 869,431) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 82,022; female 101,984) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

17.35 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

980 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

20,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 13.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English, patois English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.85 years male: 73.84 years female: 77.97 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84.1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 26.5 years male: 25.8 years female: 27.2 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Net migration rate

-5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

2,695,867 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.61% (2003 est.)

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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.01 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

Airports

35 (2002)

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 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Highways

total: 18,700 km paved: 13,109 km unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,536 GRT/62,868 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Latvia 2, US 2 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 10 km

Ports and harbors

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

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 (2002)

Waterways

none