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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $30 million, NA% of GDP (FY95/96)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 680,965 males fit for military service: 481,616 males reach military age (18) annually: 25,810 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

1.04 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

212,257 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

330,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.45 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $732 million (FY95/96 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Jamaican dollar (J$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $239 million (1993)

Economic overview [time series]

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.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 730,000 kW production: 2.6 billion kWh consumption per capita: 988 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Jamaican dollars (J$) per US$1 - 39.86 (December 1995), 33.086 (1994), 24.949 (1993), 22.960 (1992), 12.116 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum partners: US 47%, UK 11%, Canada 9%, Norway 7%, France 4% (1993)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$3.6 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 7.9% industry: 28.1% services: 64% (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$3,200 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

0.8% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals partners: US 54%, Japan 4.0%, Mexico 6%, UK 4%, Venezuela 3% (1993)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

bauxite, tourism, textiles, food processing, light manufactures

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

25.5% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

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

Unemployment rate [time series]

15.4% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 10,990 sq km land area: 10,830 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Coastline [time series]

1,022 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 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, Whaling

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 15 N, 77 30 W

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

350 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 19% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 28% other: 29%

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Capital [time series]

Kingston

Constitution [time series]

6 August 1962

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Governor General Sir Howard COOKE (since 1 August 1991) who was appointed by the queen on recommendation of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and the Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) were appointed by the governor general cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (809) 926-6743

Flag [time series]

diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

6 August 1962 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day (first Monday in August) (1962)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists); New Beginnings Movement (NBM)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's National Party (PNP), P. J. PATTERSON; Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Edward SEAGA; National Democratic Movement (NDM), Bruce GOLDING

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador J. Gary COOPER embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (809) 929-4850 through 4859

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 32% (male 430,609; female 411,966) 15-64 years: 61% (male 781,626; female 795,808) 65 years and over: 7% (male 77,725; female 97,541) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

22.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.57 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 76.3%, Afro-European 15.1%, East Indian and Afro-East Indian 3%, white 3.2%, Chinese and Afro-Chinese 1.2%, other 1.2%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, Creole

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.88 years male: 72.6 years female: 77.29 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.) total population: 85% male: 80.8% female: 89.1%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican

Net migration rate [time series]

-8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

2,595,275 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.8% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Protestant 55.9% (Church of God 18.4%, Baptist 10%, Anglican 7.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.9%, Pentecostal 5.2%, Methodist 3.1%, United Church 2.7%, other 2.5%), Roman Catholic 5%, other, including some spiritual cults 39.1% (1982)

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 27 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 21 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 18,094 km paved: 12,528 km unpaved: 5,566 km (1988 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

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.)

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products 10 km

Ports [time series]

Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Longs Wharf, Rocky Point

Railways [time series]

total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation which were in common carrier service are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite