Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 48.8% less likely to be obese

In Tonga, 48.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Jamaica, that number is 24.7% of people as of 2016.

live 1.8 years less

In Tonga, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 79 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

make 56.1% more money

Tonga has a GDP per capita of $6,600 as of 2022, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $10,300 as of 2023.

be 17.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Tonga, 20.6% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

be 92.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Tonga, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 4.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 21.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Tonga, approximately 126.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Jamaica, 99.0 women do as of 2020.

be 10.8% less likely to be literate

In Tonga, the literacy rate is 99.4% as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

have 20.8% fewer children

In Tonga, there are approximately 19.7 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 22.4% more likely to have internet access

In Tonga, approximately 67.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Jamaica, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 24.5% more on healthcare

Tonga 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 2.4 times more coastline

Tonga has a total of 419 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.
Read more

How big is Jamaica compared to Tonga? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Jamaica.or Tonga It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.