Jamaica is an island country located in the Caribbean. It is 120 miles east of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and roughly 90 miles south of Cuba. The country is approximately 11,000 square kilometers making it the 168th largest in the world and 5th largest in the Caribbean. Jamaica declared its independence from Britain in 1962 and remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Jamaica, however the head of state remains the prime minister. Jamaica has a unitary parliamentary system with a Senate in the upper house and a House of Representatives in the lower house.


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General Information
Official Name: 
Jamaica
Capitol: 
Kingston
Population: 
2,798,000
Languages: 
English
Geographic Region: 
Americas
Caribbean
Geographic Size (km sq): 
10,991
Year of UN Membership: 
1962
Year of Present State Formation: 
1962
Current UN Representative: 
Courtenay Rattray
Online Profiles
CIA World Factbook Country Profile: Jamaica
BBC Country Profile: Jamaica
U.S. Department of State Country Profile: Jamaica
Law Library of Congress Country Profile: Jamaica
Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade County Profile: Jamaica
Australia Department of Foreign Affairs Countries, Economies and Regions: Jamaica
National Geographic Country Profile: Jamaica
Lonely Planet Country Profile: Jamaica
Key Statistics & Indicators
Gross Domestic Product (GDP, Nominal): 
$14.262 Billion
Per Capita Income (PPP Adjusted): 
$9,256 (CID)
GDP Growth: 
0.40 (%)
Human Development Index (HDI): 
0.72
Gini Index (Income Inequality): 
45.50
Unemployment: 
15.00%
Economic Grouping: 
Developing Country
Small Island Developing State
History
BBC Timeline of Jamaica: 1492- Present
Embassy of Jamaica: History of Jamaica
Jamaican Information Service: Timeline of Jamaica
International Relations
UN Voting Blocs & Caucuses: 
Group of 77 (G-77)
Latin America Group
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Major International & Regional Organizations: 
ACP: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States
AOSIS: Alliance of Small Island States
Commonwealth of Nations (British)
CariCom: Caribbean Community
CDB: Caribbean Development Bank
CELAC: Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
G-15
IADB: Inter-American Development Bank
ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
IHO: International Hydrographic Organization
Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization
IOC: International Olympic Committee
IOM: International Organization for Migration
ISO: International Organization for Standardization
ITSO: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
LAES/SELA: Latin American and Caribbean Economic System
OAS: Organization of American States
OPANAL: Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
Petrocaribe
WCO: World Customs Organization
WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions
UN Specialized Agencies & Organizations: 
CTBTO: Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency
IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
ICSID: International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development
IFC: International Finance Corporation
ILO: International Labor Organization
IMF: International Monetary Fund
IMO: International Maritime Organization
ITU: International Telecommunications Union
MIGA: Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
OPCW: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNWTO: United Nations World Tourism Organization
UPU: Universal Postal Union
WBG: World Bank Group
WHO: World Health Organization
WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization
WMO: World Meteorological Organization
WTO: World Trade Organization
Bilateral Relations
Security Council: 
U.S. Department of State Fact Sheets: US-Jamaica Bilateral Relations
U.K. Gov.UK Worldwide Activities: UK-Jamaica Bilateral Relations
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development: France-Jamaica Bilateral Relations
P.R. of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China-Jamaica Bilateral Relations
Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs: News, Statements, Speeches and Documents
Asia (E/S/SE): 
Japan-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
South Korea-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs
India-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Government of India Ministry of External Affairs Briefs
Vietnam-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Viet Nam Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Africa & Middle East: 
Turkey-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Armenia-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Egypt-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Foreign Affairs
South Africa-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: South Africa International Relations & Cooperation
European Union: 
EU-Jamaica Relations: E.U. External Action, European Union Around the Globe
Germany-Jamaica Relations: Federal Foreign Office of Germany
Netherlands-Jamaica Relations: Government of the Netherlands International Relations
Finland-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Greece-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Western (Non-EU): 
Canada-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Government of Canada International Gateway, Offices & Embassies
Australia-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Country Briefs
New Zealand-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Switzerland-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Swiss Confederation Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Monaco-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Principauté de Monaco, Monaco Worldwide
Latin America & Caribbean : 
Cuba-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Cuba MinRex, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba
Brazil-Jamaica Bilateral Relations: Brasil Ministério das Relações Exteriores (in Portuguese)
United Nations Data
World Bank Country at a Glance: Jamaica
UNAIDS: Jamaica HIV Report
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: Jamaica Fact Sheet
UNDP Country Fact Sheet: Jamaica
UNICEF Child Protection: Jamaica
UN Office of the High Representative for small island developing states (UN-OHRLLS) country profiles: Jamaica
News Sources
BBC News Country Media Profile: Jamaica
The Guardian World News Stories: Jamaica
New York Times Countries & Regions News: Jamaica
The Economist Topics Index: Jamaica
World News Report: Jamaica
Topix Real Time News and Updates: Jamaica
ABYZ Newspapers and Media Guide: Jamaica
Government Sources
Embassy of Jamaica
Office of the Prime Minister: Jamaica
UN Mission
Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations
767 Third Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 935-7509
(212) 935-7607
jamaica@un.int

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