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PEOPLE

Language
English (official). A dialect based on English called patois or Creole is also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	2.7 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	2.7 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	2.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	2.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	2.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	2.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	2.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	2.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	2.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
2.7 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Most Jamaicans are of African descent. There are small Chinese, Indian, Arab and European minorities.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Protestants 56 percent, Catholics 5 percent, Rastafarians 5 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	53.7 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	53.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	53.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	52.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	52.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	52.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	52.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	51.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1944
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
87 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	31.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	31.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	31.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	30.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	31.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	31.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT -5

Climate description
Tropical with heavy rains in the summer and moderate temperatures in the fall and winter due to northeast trade winds.

Currency
Jamaican dollar
Source: NI World Guide 11th ed

Telephone dialling code
(+) 876

Driving (left/right)
Left

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	72.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	70.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	70.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	75.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	75.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	75.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	69.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	69.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	69.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	73.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	73.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	73.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	74.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	72.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	72.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	77.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	77.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	77.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	26 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	26 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	17 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	17 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	17 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	31 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	31 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2004	20 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2000	20 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	97 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	97 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	95 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	95 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	95 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	95 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	26 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	87 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	101	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	104	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	98	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	79	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	78	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	86	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	4 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	4 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	4 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	4 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	9 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	10 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	93 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	93 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	93 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	92 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	83 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	80 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	80 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	No data available percent
2003	87.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	87.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	87.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	86.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	No data available percent
2003	83.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	91.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	83.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	82.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	No data available percent
2003	91.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	83.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	90.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	117 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	137 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	128 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	120 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	160 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	174 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	167 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	198 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	192 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	1006 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	996 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	848 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	743 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	693 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	599 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	477 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	231 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	143 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	553 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	553 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	488 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	465 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	404 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	305 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	230 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	39 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	31 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	96 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	84 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	61 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	64	Transparency International
2004	74 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	57 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	45 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	3330 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	3550 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	3420 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	3320 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	3120 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	2950 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	2940 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	2930 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	11.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	10.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	9.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	8.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	8.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	8.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	8.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	8.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	2.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	1.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	1.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	2.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	1.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	1.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	0.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	27.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	6.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	9.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	12.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	11.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	8.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	8.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	11.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
35.8 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	85 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	85 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	85 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	140 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	1.6 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	1.6 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	7 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	826	UNHCR
2007	766	UNHCR
2006	660	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	450	UNHCR
2004	350	UNHCR
2003	259	UNHCR
2002	147	UNHCR
2001	37	UNHCR
2000	37	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	No data available
2007	No data available
2006	No data available
2000	38	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	0.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	0.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	5.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	4.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	6.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	6.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	6.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	3.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	2.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003