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. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Area
Total: 10,990 km²
Land: 10,830 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,022 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain: Mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: 350 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Jamaican(s)
Adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English, Creole

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Current issues Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements note: Strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.88 years (1996 est.), 74.65 years (1995 est.)
Male: 72.6 years (1996 est.), 72.39 years (1995 est.)
Female: 77.29 years (1996 est.), 77.01 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that has ever attended school (1995 est.)
Total population: 85%
Male: 80.8%
Female: 89.1%

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

Government type: Parliamentary democracy

Capital: Kingston

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

Independence: 6 August 1962 (from U.K.)

National holiday: Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)

Constitution: 6 August 1962

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard COOKE (since 1 August 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister P. J. PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992); Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament Senate:Consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general House of Representatives:Elections last held 30 March 1993 (next to be held by March 1998; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(60 total) PNP 52, JLP 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: Diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles_green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and fly side)

Economy overview: Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has consolidated the market-oriented reforms initiated by his predecessor, Michael MANLEY, to make Jamaica a regional leader in economic reform. PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Tight monetary and fiscal policies under an IMF program have helped slow inflation and stabilize the exchange rate, but, as a result, economic growth has slowed down and unemployment remains high. Jamaica's medium-term prospects depend largely on its ability to continue to attract foreign capital and limit speculation against the Jamaican dollar.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: Accounts for about 7% 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:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 0.4% (1992; accounts for almost 30% of GDP

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:

Budget
Revenues: $1.45 billion (FY95/96), $600 million (FY90/91)
Expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $732 million (FY95/96 est.), $736 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY90/91 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $3.6 billion (1994 est.)

Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1_39.86 (December 1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993), 22.960 (1992), 12.116 (1991), 7.184 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 730,000 kW
Production: 2.6 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 988 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 212,257 telephones (1991 est.); fully automatic domestic telephone network
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations; 3 coaxial submarine cables

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $30 million, NA% of GDP (FY95/96), $19.3 million, 1% of GDP (FY91/92)

Airports: 27
2438 to 3047 m: 2
914 to 1523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Under 914 m: 21

Pipelines: Petroleum products 10 km

Merchant marine
Total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,435 GRT/6,105 DWT
Ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

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