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NAVIGATION
Jamaica
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jamaica |
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Government type:
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constitutional parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Kingston |
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Administrative divisions:
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14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland |
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Independence:
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6 August 1962 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962) |
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Constitution:
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6 August 1962 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists) |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (876) 926-6743 |
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Flag description:
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diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy grew 0.8% in 2000 and 1.1% in 2001, but the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic recovery. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.1% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 7%
industry: 28% services: 65% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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34% (1992 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1996) (1996) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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36 (1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.9% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.13 million (1998) (1998) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998) (1998) |
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Unemployment rate:
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16% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.23 billion
expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million |
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Industries:
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tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-2% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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6.74 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 89%
hydro: 3% other: 7% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.27 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk |
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Exports:
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$1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum |
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Exports - partners:
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US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.9%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999) |
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Imports:
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$3.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers |
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Imports - partners:
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US 47.8%, Caricom countries 12.4%, Latin America 7.2%, EU (excluding UK) 4.7% (1999) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.2 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$102.7 million (1995) (1995) |
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Currency:
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Jamaican dollar (JMD) |
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Currency code:
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JMD |
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Exchange rates:
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Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 47.277 (December 2001), 45.996 (2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |