STATISTICS: JAMAICA

Jamaica Official name: Jamaica. Form of government: constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate ; House of Representatives ). Chief of state: British Monarch represented by Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Kingston. Official language: English. Monetary unit: 1 Jamaica dollar (J$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = J$35.80; 1 = J$60.95. Demography Population (1998): 2,554,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 601.8, persons per sq km 232.4. Urban-rural (1991): urban 50.2%; rural 49.8%. Sex distribution (1995): male 49.74%; female 50.26%. Age breakdown (1995): under 15, 32.3%; 15-29, 28.7%; 30-44, 19.7%; 45-59, 9.8%; 60 and over, 9.5%. Population projection: (2000) 2,589,000; (2010) 2,814,000. Doubling time: 39 years. Ethnic composition (1982): black 74.7%; mixed black 12.8%; East Indian 1.3%; other 11.2%, of which not stated 9.5%. Religious affiliation (1995): Protestant 39.0%, of which Pentecostal 10.5%, Seventh-day Adventist 6.1%, Baptist 5.3%; Roman Catholic 10.4%; Anglican 3.7%; other (including nonreligious) 46.9%{1}. Major cities (1991): Kingston 103,771{2} (metropolitan area 587,798); Spanish Town 92,383; Portmore 90,138; Montego Bay 83,446; May Pen 46,785. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1995): 23.2 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1995): 5.0 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 18.2 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1995): 3.0. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1994): 6.1. Life expectancy at birth (1990-95): male 71.4 years; female 75.8 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1991): diseases of the circulatory system 189.4; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 84.1; endocrine and metabolic disorders 51.3; diseases of the respiratory system 30.1. National economy Budget (1995-96). Revenue J$39,642,300,000 (tax revenue 85.6%, of which consumption taxes 32.3%, income taxes 30.6%, stamp duties 3.9%; nontax revenue 14.4%). Expenditures: J$48,334,200,000 (current expenditure 62.8%, of which debt interest 22.4%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$3,183,000,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugarcane 2,624,000, yams 240,371, vegetables 218,200, citrus fruits 130,000, bananas 130,000, coconuts 115,000, pumpkins, squash, and gourds 42,000, plantains 34,769, sweet potatoes 33,000, cabbages 33,000, carrots 26,000, tomatoes 24,000; livestock (number of live animals) 440,000 goats, 420,000 cattle, 180,000 pigs; roundwood (1995) 354,700 cu m; fish catch (1995) 13,617. Mining and quarrying (1996): crude bauxite 3,924,800; alumina 3,199,500; (1995) gypsum 208,000. Manufacturing (value added in constant 1991-95 prices, J$'000,000; 1995): machinery and equipment 593.6; food processing 580.3; petroleum products 351.3; rubber and plastic products 324.1; textiles and clothing 257.0; tobacco and tobacco products 255.2; metal and nonmetallic products 223.6. Construction (1995): residential units completed 7,067{3}; factory space completed 6,989 sq m{4}. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 3,927,000,000 (3,927,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) none (5,893,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 825,000 (2,748,000); natural gas, none (none). Population economically active (1995): total 1,150,000; activity rate of total population 46.0% (participation rates: ages 14 and over 58.7%; female 46.3%; unemployed 16.2%). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$4,066,000,000 (U.S.$1,600 per capita). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1991) 4.2; average annual income per household (1988) J$8,356 (U.S.$1,525); sources of income (1989): wages and salaries 66.1%, self-employment 19.3%, transfers 14.6%; expenditure (1988){5}: food and beverages 55.6%, housing 7.9%, fuel and other household supplies 7.4%, health care 7.0%, transportation 6.4%. Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$1,069,000,000; expenditures U.S.$148,000,000. Foreign trade{6} Imports (1996): U.S.$2,906,679,000 (raw materials 55.7%, of which fuels 15.4%; consumer goods 25.7%, of which food 7.6%; capital goods 18.6%, of which machinery and apparatus 9.5%). Major import sources: U.S. 60.2%; U.K. 4.3%; Japan 4.1%; Venezuela 3.2%; Mexico 3.1%; France 2.8%. Exports (1996): U.S.$1,379,421,000 (crude materials 49.7%; food 20.2%; beverages and tobacco 3.5%; chemicals 3.3%; machinery and transport equipment 2.3%; manufactured goods 1.4%). Major export destinations: U.S. 42.4%; U.K. 11.1%; Canada 9.2%; Norway 5.9%; France 4.6%; Germany 4.2%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1991): route length 129 mi; 208 km; passenger-mi 12,127,000{4}, passenger-km 19,516,000{4}; short ton-mi cargo 1,700,000, metric ton-km cargo 2,482,000. Roads (1995): total length 11,600 mi, 18,600 km (paved 71%). Vehicles (1994-95): passenger cars 86,791; trucks and buses 41,312. Air transport (1996){7}: passenger-mi 1,204,001,000, passenger-km 1,937,655,000; short ton-mi cargo 136,014,000, metric ton-km cargo 198,577,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 4. Education and health Educational attainment (1982). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 3.2%; some primary education 79.8%; some secondary 15.0%; complete secondary and higher 2.0%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 85%; males literate 80.8%; females literate 89.1%. Health (1995): physicians 417{8} (1 per 6,043 persons); hospital beds (1993) 5,023 (1 per 492 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 28.6. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,647 (vegetable products 84%, animal products 16%); 118% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 3,320 (army 90.4%; coast guard 4.5%; air force 5.1%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 0.8% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$11. {1} Includes c. 0.7% Rastafarian. {2} City of Kingston is coextensive with Kingston parish. {3} 51% public sector. {4} 1990. {5} Weights of consumer price index components. {6} Import figures are c.i.f. {7} Air Jamaica only. {8} Public health only.