Even though you may be in vacation mode, it is good to have some basic facts about Jamaica before you visit. Here are a few facts below as per the latest reports from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica.

Location of Jamaica
Jamaica is located on the North Western section of the Caribbean Archipelago between longitude 76 degrees 11′ West, longitude 78 degrees 22′ West, latitude 18 degrees 31′ North, latitude 17 degrees 42′ North, as at Morant Point, Negril Point, Lilly’s Rock and Portland Point respectively.

Size of Jamaica
4243.6 (Area in Sq Miles) 10,991 (Area in Sq. km)

Length of Jamaica
235 kilometres

Width of Jamaica
Varying from 35 to 82 kilometres

Time Zone in Jamaica
Eastern Standard Time – Daylight Savings Time is not observed

Jamaica Average Temperature
27 degrees Celsius

Jamaica’s Climate
Tropical

Average Rainfall in Jamaica
1.087 ( Mean Rainfall 2004)

Population in Jamaica
2,673,816 (Estimate as of 2006)

Capital of Jamaica
Kingston

Language used in Jamaica
English and a dialect known as Patois

Ethnic Groups in Jamaica

Black, East Indian, Chinese, White, Mixed

Jamaica’s Natural Resources
Water, Bauxite, Limestone and Sand

Getting to Jamaica
Air Jamaica, American Airlines, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines

Jamaica’s Principal Exports
Alumina, Sugar, Bauxite, Rum, Coffee

Jamaica’s Major Trading Partners
USA, UK, Canada, China, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago

Jamaica Currency Exchange Rate
$71.8965 for US$1 as of July 31, 2008. For a currency converter, click here Another helpful resource for up-to-date exchange rate data, click here for the Bank of Jamaica Foreign Exchange Trading Summary, updated daily.

Jamaica’s GDP Per Capita

90,738 per capita indicators ($) constant prices

Jamaica Trade Balance
US$221.7M as of June 2007

Jamaica’s Literacy Rate

79.9% as at 1999

Highest Point in Jamaica
Blue Mountain Peak (2,256 metres)

Jamaican Newspapers

The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer, The Sunday Herald