Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 40.0% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Panama, 1.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

live 1.9 years less

In Panama, the average life expectancy is 78 years (75 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

be 34.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Panama, 6.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

be 20.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Panama, 21.5% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

make 71.2% less money

Panama has a GDP per capita of $35,800 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

be 32.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Panama, approximately 16.4 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.

be 98.0% more likely to die during childbirth

In Panama, approximately 50.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

have 10.3% fewer children

In Panama, there are approximately 17.4 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 20.6% more likely to have internet access

In Panama, approximately 68.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 32.0% less on healthcare

Panama spends 9.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 53.8% more on education

Panama spends 3.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 59.0% less coastline

Panama has a total of 2,490 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 Panama? See an in-depth size comparison.

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