Jamaica: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

PAHO/WHO appoints new representative for Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands • Nov. 11, 2026, 1:06 AM ET (The Gleaner)

Porter Airlines adds flights from Hamilton's airport to Tampa and Jamaica • Nov. 9, 2026, 2:22 PM ET (CBC)

More than a PM • Nov. 8, 2026, 1:06 AM ET (The Gleaner)

Ten Types Beauty Contest captivates Jamaica – Part 1 • Nov. 8, 2026, 1:06 AM ET (The Gleaner)

Weir: Failure to teach respect creates bullies • Nov. 7, 2026, 1:09 AM ET (The Gleaner)

Facts

Also Known As	Xaymaca
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Andrew Holness
Capital	Kingston
Population	(2026 est.) 2,761,000
Head Of State	British Monarch: King Charles III, represented by Governor-General: Sir Patrick Linton Allen
Form Of Government	constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [21¹]; House of Representatives [63])
Official Language	English
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Jamaica
Total Area (Sq Km)	10,949
Total Area (Sq Mi)	4,227
Monetary Unit	Jamaican dollar (J$)
Population Rank	(2026) 141
Population Projection 2030	2,806,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 653.2
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 252.2
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 57.8% • Rural: (2024) 42.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2021) 67.6 years • Female: (2021) 72.8 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 20,466
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 7,210
¹All seats appointed by governor-general.

Photos and Videos

Map showing the location of Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea, positioned south of Cuba and west of Haiti, with neighboring countries and territories such as the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Central American nations labeled. Jamaica is highlighted with its capital, Kingston, marked.

Port Antonio, Jamaica

Map of Jamaica showing its boundaries, major cities, and towns including Kingston, Montego Bay, Spanish Town, and Mandeville. The map is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and includes a small locator inset showing Jamaica's position in the Caribbean region.

Map of Jamaica highlighting major physical features, including mountain ranges such as the Blue Mountains and Dry Harbour Mountains, key peaks like Blue Mountain Peak and Dolphin Head, plains, rivers, and coastal points. Surrounding bodies of water including the Caribbean Sea, Bluefields Bay, and Kingston Harbour are labeled. An inset locator map shows Jamaica's position in the Caribbean.

Jamaica: Martha Brae River

Jamaica: Turtle Beach

Bob Marley singing into a microphone on stage under dramatic orange and yellow lighting.

How Bob Marley brought reggae into the mainstream

The roots of reggae music

The life and legacy of Bob Marley

National anthem of Jamaica

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Portia Simpson Miller Michael Manley Charles T. Metcalfe Edward John Eyre Sir Kenneth Blackburne Edward Trelawny North America Atlantic Ocean Louise Bennett-Coverley nation-state United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Simpson Miller, Portia

Portia Simpson Miller

prime minister of Jamaica

Manley, Michael

Michael Manley

prime minister of Jamaica

Charles T. Metcalfe

Charles T. Metcalfe

British colonial official

Eyre, engraving by Charles Tomkins after a portrait by Charles Mercier

Edward John Eyre

British explorer and official

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Sir Kenneth Blackburne

British colonial administrator

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Edward Trelawny

British colonial governor

Edward Winslow, detail of an oil painting by Robert Walker, 1651; in the Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Mass.

Edward Winslow

governor of Plymouth colony

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer

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Morant Bay

Jamaica

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Cockpit Country

region, Jamaica

Map of North America showing international boundaries, country names, and capital cities. The map includes Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, Central American countries, and Caribbean nations, with a locator inset at the bottom left for global context. Major bodies of water such as the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Caribbean Sea are labeled.

North America

continent

Atlantic Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features

Atlantic Ocean

The Caribbean Sea

Caribbean Sea

sea, Atlantic Ocean

Devon House, Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston

national capital, Jamaica

Port Royal and Kingston Harbour

Port Royal

Jamaica

Spanish Town, Jamaica

Spanish Town

Jamaica

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Montego Bay

Jamaica

Port Antonio, on the northeast coast of Jamaica.

Port Antonio

Jamaica

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Mandeville

Jamaica

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Savanna-la-Mar

Jamaica

Jamaica: Turtle Beach

Ocho Rios

Jamaica

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Saint Ann’s Bay

Jamaica

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Old Harbour

Jamaica

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Island, New Caledonia.

Islands and Archipelagos