Facts

Official Name: Jamaica
Capital City: Kingston
Size: 4,411 square miles. Slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut in the U.S.
Length:146 miles
Width: 22-51 miles
Population: 2,605,800 (July 2000 estimate).
Population of a few selected cities: Kingston, 800,000; Montego Bay, 82,000; Mandeville, 13,681; Port Antonio, 10,426; Ocho Rios, 5,851; Negril, 1,166
Annual population growth rate: 0.46%
Average Temperature: 82° F
Climate: Tropical. Hot, Humid, temperate interior.
Average Rainfall: 78 inches annually
Population: 2.6 million (July 2000 estimate).
Language: English but Patois, a dialect, is widely spoken across the island
Ethnic Groups: Black (90.9%), mixed (7.3%), East Indian (1.3%), white (0.2%), Chinese (0.2%)
Natural Resources: Bauxite, gypsum and limestone.
Principal exports: Bauxite and alumnia, apparel, sugar, bananas, coffee, citrus and citrus products, rum, cocoa.
Major Trading partners: Consumer Goods, construction materials, electrical equipment, food, fuel, machinery and transportation equipment.
Exchange Rate: Approximately $86 Jamaican dollars is equal to $1 US dollar. See the latest exchange rate.
GDP per capitia: US3,350 (purchasing power parity)
Head of State: The head of state is the governor-general, who is appointed by the monarch of England.
Head of Government: The head of government in Jamaica is the Prime Minister who is elected by the Jamaican people. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives.