Jamaica

  • Area: 11,424 square kilometres
  • Currency: Jamaican dollar made up of 100 cents $1 = J$86.25  (end period of July 2010)
  • Official language: English
  • Population: 27 millions (July 2009)
  • Head of State or Government: Bruce Golding (Prime Minister) 2008
  • GDP: USD $`4.6 million
  • GDP per capita: USD $5,438
  • GDP growth: -1.3%
  • Inflation: 16.8%

About Jamaica

Jamaica is situated 145 kilometres south of Cuba and 160 kilometres southwest of Haiti. The capital is Kingston.  

Jamaica operates as a mixed, free-market economy with state enterprises and a well developed private sector. The traditional agricultural industries include sugar, banana and coffee. Other major contributors to the economy include mining, manufacturing and tourism, while the creative industries and information communication technology (ICT) are poised for growth.

The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employs approximately 18 per cent of the workforce and contributes 5.6 per cent of GDP. Industry employs 30.1 per cent of the workforce and contributes 19 per cent of GDP, while the services sector employs 63.9 per cent of the workforce and contributes 64 per cent of GDP.