Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 7.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Sweden, 0.2% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

live 7.0 years less

In Sweden, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 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 19.9% more likely to be obese

In Sweden, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 41.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Sweden, 7.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

pay a 56.2% lower top tax rate

Sweden has a top tax rate of 57.1% as of 2016. In Jamaica, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 84.0% less money

Sweden has a GDP per capita of $64,200 as of 2023, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

Life

have 45.8% more children

In Sweden, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 15.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 19.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Sweden, approximately 5.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 4.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In Sweden, approximately 2.3 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.

Expenditures

spend 16.7% less on education

Sweden spends 7.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Jamaica spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 42.1% less on healthcare

Sweden spends 11.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Jamaica, that number is 6.6% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 68.2% less coastline

Sweden has a total of 3,218 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Skatteverket, 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 Sweden? See an in-depth size comparison.

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