Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of American Samoa, you would:

Economy

be 85.2% less likely to be unemployed

In American Samoa, 29.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2005. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 11.0% more likely to die during infancy

In American Samoa, approximately 10.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 69.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In American Samoa, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (60% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 2.0 times more likely to have internet access

In American Samoa, approximately 40.3% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Geography

see 8.8 times more coastline

American Samoa has a total of 116 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Jamaica: At a glance

Jamaica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 10,831 sq km. The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
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How big is Jamaica compared to American Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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