Caribbean
Country Profiles
Jamaica
Jamaica has seen its economic and social situation deteriorate
rapidly over the last several decades. More than half of Jamaicans
live in poverty and there is a high incidence of HIV/AIDS.
The country has once of the highest murder rates in the world.
Jamaica has an area of 10,991 square kilometres and lies along
the major trade route through the Panama Canal. The terrain
is mostly mountainous with narrow coastal plains and the climate
is tropical. The country is susceptible to hurricanes, particularly
from June to November.
Jamaica’s government is a constitutional parliamentary
democracy within the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth
II is the head of state and Prime Minister Percival Patterson
is the head of government. The next elections are scheduled
to be held in October 2007. Kingston is the capital city and
there are 14 administrative parishes.
|
People
|
|
|
Human Development Index Ranking (out of 173)
|
86
|
|
Population (millions)
|
2.6
|
|
Population growth rate (%)
|
0.9
|
|
Adult literacy rate (% age 15 and above)
|
86.9
|
|
Health
|
|
|
Life expectancy
|
75.3
|
|
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)
|
17
|
|
People living with HIV/AIDS (% adults 15-49)
|
1.22
|
|
Population using improved water sources (%)
|
71
|
|
Population using adequate sanitation facilities
(%)
|
84
|
|
Economy
|
|
|
GDP (US$ billions)
|
7.4
|
|
Population living below national poverty line (%)
|
18.7
|
Source: United Nation Human Development Reports,
Human Development Indicators 2002
--- indicates information not available
|
