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 and a more conservative government installed.

Map reference:

Area
Total: 10,990 km²
Land: 10,830 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use
Arable land: 19%
Permanent crops: 6%
Meadows and pastures: 18%
Forest and woodland: 28%
Other: 29%

Irrigated land: 350 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 2,529,981 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.96% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Jamaican(s)
Adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English, Creole

Population growth rate: 0.96% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 22.24 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.95 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes (especially July to November); deforestation; water pollution
Current issues note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

Infant mortality rate: 17.5 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.09 years
Male: 71.92 years
Female: 76.36 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1990)
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 99%

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Jamaica

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Kingston

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard BERNAL
In the us chancery: Suite 355, 1850 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20,006
In the us telephone: (202) 452-0660
In the us consulates general: Miami and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Glen A. HOLDEN
From the us embassy: Kingston
From the us mailing address:
From the us telephone: (809) 929-4,850 through 4,859
From the us fax: (809) 926-6,743

Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and fly side)

Economy overview: The economy is based on sugar, bauxite, and tourism. In 1985 it suffered a setback with the closure of some facilities in the bauxite and alumina industry, a major source of hard currency earnings. Since 1986 an economic recovery has been under way. In 1987 conditions began to improve for the bauxite and alumina industry because of increases in world metal prices. The recovery has also been supported by growth in the manufacturing and tourism sectors. In September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert inflicted severe damage on crops and the electric power system, a sharp but temporary setback to the economy. By October 1989 the economic recovery from the hurricane was largely complete, and real growth was up about 3% for 1989. In 1991, however, growth dropped to 0.2% as a result of the US recession, lower world bauxite prices, and monetary instability. In 1992, growth was 1.5%, supported by a recovery in

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1992 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for about 9% of GDP, 22% of work force, and 17% of exports; commercial crops - sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; livestock and livestock products include poultry, goats, milk; not self-sufficient in grain, meat, and dairy products

Industries: tourism, bauxite mining, textiles, food processing, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate:

Labor force: 1,062,100
By occupation services: 41%
By occupation agriculture: 22.5%
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation unemployed: 17.5% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 15.4% (1992)

Budget: revenues $600 million; expenditures $736 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum
Partners: US 39%, UK 14%, Canada 12%, Netherlands 8%, Norway 7%

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: fuel, other raw materials, construction materials, food, transport equipment, other machinery and equipment
Partners: US 51%, UK 6%, Venezuela 5%, Canada 5%, Japan 4.5%

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1 - 22.173 (September 1992), 12.116 (1991), 7.184 (1990), 5.7446 (1989), 5.4886 (1988), 5.4867 (1987)

Electricity
Production: 1,127,000 kW capacity; 2,736 million kWh produced, 1,090 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $19.3 million, 1% of GDP (FY91/92)

Airports: 36
Usable: 23
With permanentsurface runways: 10
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1

Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km

Merchant marine:

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis; transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America; government has an active cannabis eradication program