Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 47.8% less likely to be obese

In Samoa, 47.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 71.7% more money

Samoa has a GDP per capita of $6,000 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

be 54.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Samoa, 9.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

be 21.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Samoa, 21.9% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

Life

be 34.3% less likely to die during infancy

In Samoa, approximately 17.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2020. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

be 67.8% more likely to die during childbirth

In Samoa, approximately 59.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.5% less likely to be literate

In Samoa, the literacy rate is 99.1% as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

have 17.0% fewer children

In Samoa, there are approximately 18.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Expenditures

spend 25.0% more on education

Samoa spends 4.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 24.5% more on healthcare

Samoa spends 5.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 2.5 times more coastline

Samoa has a total of 403 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 Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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