Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.3 years longer

In Suriname, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 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 27.3% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Suriname, 1.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

Economy

be 42.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Suriname, 7.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

be 75.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Suriname, 70.0% live below the poverty line as of 2002. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

pay a 34.2% lower top tax rate

Suriname has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Jamaica, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 45.8% less money

Suriname has a GDP per capita of $19,000 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

be 63.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Suriname, approximately 30.2 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.

Basic Needs

be 24.2% more likely to have internet access

In Suriname, approximately 66.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 20.0% more on education

Suriname spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 2.6 times more coastline

Suriname has a total of 386 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Tax Admministration of Jamaica.

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 Suriname? See an in-depth size comparison.

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