Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of British Virgin Islands, you would:

Health

live 3.9 years less

In British Virgin Islands, the average life expectancy is 80 years (78 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 69.9% less money

British Virgin Islands has a GDP per capita of $34,200 as of 2017, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

be 52.4% more likely to be unemployed

In British Virgin Islands, 2.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2015. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 21.1% less likely to die during infancy

In British Virgin Islands, approximately 14.2 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.

have 43.1% more children

In British Virgin Islands, there are approximately 10.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on education

British Virgin Islands spends 2.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 12.8 times more coastline

British Virgin Islands has a total of 80 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 British Virgin Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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