Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Jamaica instead of Mali, you would:

Health

live 13.3 years longer

In Mali, the average life expectancy is 62 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 76 years (74 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 55.6% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Mali, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

be 2.9 times more likely to be obese

In Mali, 8.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.1 times more money

Mali has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

be 61.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Mali, 44.6% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

be 46.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Mali, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 77.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mali, approximately 440.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 2.5 times more likely to be literate

In Mali, the literacy rate is 35.5% as of 2018. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

be 81.6% less likely to die during infancy

In Mali, approximately 60.6 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 62.0% fewer children

In Mali, there are approximately 41.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 88.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Mali, approximately 53% of people have electricity access (97% in urban areas, and 18% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 2.4 times more likely to have internet access

In Mali, approximately 34.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

be 11.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Mali, approximately 86% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 76% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 96% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 36.4% more on education

Mali spends 4.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 53.5% more on healthcare

Mali spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

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 Mali? See an in-depth size comparison.

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