Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Economy

be 21.1% less likely to be unemployed

In Montserrat, 5.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2017. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

make 69.7% less money

Montserrat has a GDP per capita of $34,000 as of 2011, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

have 31.1% more children

In Montserrat, there are approximately 11.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 45.9% more likely to have internet access

In Montserrat, approximately 56.2% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 11.1% more on education

Montserrat spends 5.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 25.6 times more coastline

Montserrat has a total of 40 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 Montserrat? See an in-depth size comparison.

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