Latin America & Caribbean · Upper middle income

Jamaica: the economy in numbers

Per person: $8,003, or $13,291 at purchasing power parity. Population: 2.84 million (2025).

$22.7B+0.1%real GDP growth, 2025

GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #125 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: 0.0%.

GDP per capita

$8,003

2025 · #108 of 204

GDP per capita, PPP

$13,291

2025 · #127 of 197

Inflation

4.0%

2025 · IMF forecast 2026: 5.9%

Government debt

66.0%

2025 · % of GDP, general government

Population

2.84M

2025 · #140 of 217

Unemployment

3.3%

2025 · ILO estimate

Stock market capitalization

51.0%

2025 · % of GDP · $11.6B

Life expectancy

71.6 years

2024

GDP

Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $7.62 billion in 1960, $22.7 billion in 2025.

Current US dollars; “In 2025 dollars” removes US inflationSource: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

GDP per capita

In 2025 dollars: $4,616 per person in 1960, $8,003 in 2025.

GDP per capitaGDP per capita, PPP (international $)

PPP: purchasing power parity, international dollarsSource: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Real GDP growth

Average over 2016–2025: 1.5% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1967: 19 of 59.

Shaded: IMF forecasts from 2026Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

Inflation

Consumer prices rose 6.85 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 77.3% in 1992.

Shaded: IMF forecasts from 2026Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)

Government debt, % of GDP

Highest since 1999: 140.3% of GDP in 2012. IMF forecast for 2031: 60.3%.

General government (IMF)Central government only (World Bank)

Shaded: IMF forecasts from 2026Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Stock market capitalization, % of GDP

In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $11.6 billion, or 51.0% of GDP.

Listed domestic companies, end of year (the “Buffett indicator”)Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Population

1960: 1.65 million · 2025: 2.84 million.

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Unemployment rate

1991: 6.2% · 2025: 3.3%.

% of the labor force, ILO modeled estimatesSource: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Life expectancy at birth

1960: 63.8 years · 2024: 71.6 years.

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)

Data by year

Show the year-by-year table

Year	GDP	GDP per capita	Per capita, PPP	Real growth	Inflation	Gov. debt, % GDP	Population	Unemployment	Stock market, % GDP	Life expectancy
2031				1.6%^f	5.0%^f	60.3%^f
2030				1.6%^f	5.0%^f	61.5%^f
2029				1.6%^f	5.0%^f	62.4%^f
2028				1.8%^f	5.1%^f	63.2%^f
2027				2.4%^f	5.5%^f	64.0%^f
2026				0.0%^f	5.9%^f	64.3%^f
2025	$22.7B	$8,003	$13,291	0.1%	4.0%	66.0%	2.84M	3.3%	51.0%
2024	$22B	$7,754	$12,909	−0.5%	5.4%	62.5%	2.84M	3.2%	56.5%	71.6
2023	$21.4B	$7,542	$12,661	2.7%	6.5%	66.5%	2.84M	3.0%	56.8%	71.5
2022	$18.8B	$6,626	$11,886	6.4%	10.3%	70.2%	2.84M	4.1%	69.4%	71.5
2021	$16B	$5,626	$10,431	5.7%	5.9%	86.3%	2.84M	5.2%	76.1%	69.1
2020	$15B	$5,299	$9,764	−8.3%	5.2%	101.3%	2.83M	6.5%	78.0%	71.5
2019	$17B	$6,031	$10,845	1.8%	3.9%	87.7%	2.82M	5.0%	92.6%	71.5
2018	$16.9B	$5,977	$10,753	2.5%	3.7%	88.3%	2.82M	5.5%	71.5%	71.6
2017	$15.8B	$5,605	$10,466	2.3%	4.4%	95.1%	2.82M	7.4%	59.6%	71.9
2016	$14.9B	$5,302	$9,948	2.8%	2.4%	106.9%	2.81M	8.6%	43.4%	72.1
2015	$15B	$5,339	$9,476	0.9%	3.7%	115.9%	2.8M	8.8%	39.4%	72.2
2014	$13.9B	$4,975	$9,210	0.7%	8.3%	134.4%	2.79M	9.0%	21.1%	72.4
2013	$14.3B	$5,124	$9,101	0.5%	9.3%	135.2%	2.78M	9.7%	23.4%	72.4
2012	$14.8B	$5,341	$8,831	−0.6%	6.9%	140.3%	2.77M	8.7%		72.4
2011	$14.4B	$5,233	$8,809	1.7%	7.6%	135.9%	2.76M	8.0%	34.7%	72.2
2010	$13.2B	$4,810	$8,521	−1.5%	12.6%	137.8%	2.75M	7.6%	29.4%	72.0
2009	$12.1B	$4,428	$8,580	−4.3%	9.6%	138.3%	2.74M	7.3%		71.7
2008	$13.7B	$5,030	$8,952	−0.8%	22.0%	123.8%	2.73M	6.7%		71.5
2007	$12.8B	$4,716	$8,893	1.4%	9.2%	111.6%	2.71M	6.6%		71.4
2006	$11.9B	$4,417	$8,577	2.9%	8.6%	114.2%	2.7M	6.6%		71.4
2005	$11.2B	$4,184	$8,127	0.9%	15.1%	121.5%	2.69M	6.6%		71.5
2004	$10.2B	$3,808	$7,854	1.3%	13.6%	116.9%	2.67M	6.5%		71.5
2003	$9.43B	$3,550	$7,593	3.7%	10.1%	120.1%	2.66M	6.5%		71.6
2002	$9.72B	$3,681	$7,226	2.0%	7.1%	115.4%	2.64M	6.6%	62.1%	71.5
2001	$9.19B	$3,504	$7,019	1.3%	6.8%	105.3%	2.62M	6.6%	51.3%	71.3
2000	$9.01B	$3,453	$6,816	0.9%	8.2%	89.5%	2.61M	6.8%	39.4%	71.3
1999	$8.89B	$3,432	$6,653	1.0%	6.0%	80.7%	2.59M	6.8%	28.4%	71.2
1998	$8.79B	$3,419	$6,543	−2.3%	8.6%		2.57M	6.8%	24.3%	71.2
1997	$8.4B	$3,297	$6,682	−1.1%	9.7%		2.55M	6.7%	27.3%	71.2
1996	$7.39B	$2,929	$6,706	−0.1%	26.4%		2.52M	6.6%	26.3%	71.3
1995	$6.58B	$2,631	$6,657	2.3%	19.9%		2.5M	6.3%	21.1%	71.5
1994	$5.45B	$2,203	$6,435	1.4%	35.1%		2.48M	6.3%	33.3%	71.6
1993	$5.44B	$2,221	$6,279	9.4%	22.1%		2.45M	6.2%	27.1%	71.8
1992	$3.54B	$1,458	$5,664	2.0%	77.3%		2.42M	6.4%		71.8
1991	$4.11B	$1,710	$5,485	4.8%	51.1%		2.4M	6.2%		71.8
1990	$4.59B	$1,930	$5,106	4.2%	22.0%		2.38M			71.7
1989	$4.4B	$1,865		7.2%	14.3%		2.36M			71.5
1988	$3.83B	$1,632		4.0%	8.3%		2.35M			71.2
1987	$3.29B	$1,411		7.9%	6.7%		2.33M			70.9
1986	$2.75B	$1,191		1.9%	15.1%		2.31M			70.4
1985	$2.1B	$917		−2.9%	25.7%		2.29M			70.1
1984	$2.37B	$1,048		−1.5%	27.8%		2.26M			69.8
1983	$3.62B	$1,619		1.9%	11.6%		2.23M			69.5
1982	$3.29B	$1,494		2.1%	6.5%		2.2M			69.3
1981	$2.98B	$1,370		2.6%	12.7%		2.17M			69.1
1980	$2.68B	$1,249		−5.7%	27.3%		2.15M			69.0
1979	$2.43B	$1,144		−1.1%	29.1%		2.12M			68.8
1978	$2.64B	$1,262		−0.1%	34.9%		2.09M			68.7
1977	$3.25B	$1,569		−2.6%	11.2%		2.07M			68.6
1976	$2.97B	$1,450		−6.7%	9.8%		2.05M			68.4
1975	$2.86B	$1,417		−0.3%	17.4%		2.02M			68.2
1974	$2.38B	$1,193		−4.2%	27.2%		1.99M			67.9
1973	$1.91B	$972		−5.5%	17.7%		1.96M			67.6
1972	$1.88B	$971		18.0%	5.4%		1.93M			67.3
1971	$1.54B	$809		2.5%	5.3%		1.9M			67.0
1970	$1.4B	$748		12.1%	14.7%		1.88M			66.7
1969	$1.19B	$642		5.6%	6.3%		1.86M			66.5
1968	$1.08B	$591		5.7%	5.9%		1.83M			66.3
1967	$1.15B	$633		1.8%	3.0%		1.81M			66.1
1966	$1.1B	$612			1.9%		1.79M			65.9
1965	$972M	$549			2.6%		1.77M			65.7
1964	$898M	$514			2.0%		1.75M			65.3
1963	$827M	$480			1.8%		1.72M			65.0
1962	$778M	$458			1.4%		1.7M			64.6
1961	$748M	$447			6.7%		1.67M			64.3
1960	$699M	$424			3.3%		1.65M			63.8

e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.

Nearby economies in Latin America & Caribbean

Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.

Haiti

$2,694 per person (2025)

Cayman Islands

$104,293 per person (2024)

Turks and Caicos Islands

$37,507 per person (2024)

Dominican Republic

$11,059 per person (2025)

Bahamas

$39,455 per person (2024)

Cuba

$9,605 per person (2020)

Aruba

$38,591 per person (2024)

Panama

$19,790 per person (2025)

Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Aruba · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Curaçao · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Puerto Rico · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Martin (French part) · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sint Maarten · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Turks and Caicos Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands · Uruguay · Venezuela

Rankings

GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country

Data and methods

GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Fiscal year: the IMF reports this economy by fiscal year (latest actual: FY2025/26), so IMF numbers can differ from calendar-year World Bank figures.

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)