Jamaica 🇯🇲

Jamaica lies in the Caribbean, part of the Americas. Its seat of government is Kingston.

It covers 10,991 km², which ranks it 167th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Qatar and just ahead of Kosovo. That makes it a fraction smaller than Qatar.

The population is about 2.8 million, placing it 141st of 250 by population — between Qatar above it and the Gambia below. Within the Caribbean alone it is the 5th largest of 28 and the 5th most populous.

The lie of the land

Plotted on a globe it falls at 18.3° north, 77.5° west, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 2,032 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.

Follow that same latitude east or west and you reach India, Mali and Mauritania — places that share its distance from the equator but little else.

It shares no land border with anyone. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, a group made up mostly of islands and island groups.

How crowded Jamaica is, and what is spoken there

Density comes out at around 258 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. Half the entries in this dataset fall below roughly 90 per square kilometre.

Someone from Jamaica is a Jamaican.

Officially it is multilingual, listing English and Jamaican Patois. Jamaican Patois is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Jamaica. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.

Against the Americas as a whole it is the 24th most populous of 56 entries, and it accounts for 6.4% of everyone living in the Caribbean.

Money, codes and practical details

Money there is the Jamaican dollar ($, JMD). That currency appears nowhere else on this list.

Kingston is the city to remember for this country.

Websites there use the .jm domain. The international dialling code is +1876. Standard country codes: jm and JAM.

Jamaica is one of the 193 UN member states in this dataset. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Fun facts about Jamaica

• English is official here and in 90 other entries worldwide.
• It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
• Websites based there use the .jm domain.
• Ranked by land area, Jamaica is 167th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
• India and Mali sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
• The Jamaican dollar is used here and nowhere else on this list.

Jamaica — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Jamaica?

The capital of Jamaica is Kingston.

How big is Jamaica?

Jamaica covers 10,991 km², ranking 167th of 250 by land area. That makes it a fraction smaller than Qatar.

What currency does Jamaica use?

Jamaica uses the Jamaican dollar, written $ (currency code JMD). No other entry in this dataset uses it.

Is Jamaica a country?

Yes. Jamaica is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.

Where is Jamaica located?

Jamaica is in the Caribbean, part of the Americas. Its reference coordinates are 18.3° north and 77.5° west, roughly 2,032 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.

What language is spoken in Jamaica?

Jamaica lists 2 official languages: English and Jamaican Patois. Jamaican Patois does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.

Does Jamaica border any other country?

No. Jamaica has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.

What is the population of Jamaica?

Jamaica has a population of about 2.8 million, which makes it the 141st most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Qatar sits just above it and the Gambia just below.