Jamaica

Code: JM | Region: Central America N Caribbean

Introduction

Background

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Europeans first saw Jamaica when Christopher COLUMBUS arrived in 1494, and the Spanish settled the island early in the 16th century. The Native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced with 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 withdrew from the Federation in 1961 and gained full independence in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurring 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, corruption, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.

Geography

Location

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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates

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18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references

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Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total

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10,991 sq km

land

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10,831 sq km

water

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160 sq km

Area - comparative

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about half the size of New Jersey; slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries

total

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0 km

Coastline

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1,022 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea

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12 nm

contiguous zone

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24 nm

exclusive economic zone

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200 nm

continental shelf

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200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

note

note: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

Climate

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tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain

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mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation

highest point

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Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

lowest point

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Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

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18 m

Natural resources

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bauxite, alumina, gypsum, limestone

Land use

agricultural land

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38.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.)

forest

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56.2% (2023 est.)

other

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5.3% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

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250 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

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population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel

Natural hazards

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hurricanes (especially July to November)

Geography - note

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third largest island in the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola); strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People and Society

Population

total

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2,938,503 (2025 est.)

male

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1,453,759

female

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1,484,744

Nationality

noun

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Jamaican(s)

adjective

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Jamaican

Ethnic groups

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Black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.)

Languages

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English, Jamaican patois

Religions

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Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years

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23.8% (male 342,691/female 329,773)

15-64 years

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65.7% (male 914,364/female 941,816)

65 years and over

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10.4% (2024 est.) (male 140,440/female 154,629)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

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50.6 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

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36 (2025 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

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14.6 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

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6.9 (2025 est.)

Median age

total

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28.8 years (2025 est.)

male

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30.1 years

female

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31.7 years

Population growth rate

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0.25% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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16.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

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7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

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-6.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

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population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel

Urbanization

urban population

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57.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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597,000 KINGSTON (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth

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1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years

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1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

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0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

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0.91 male(s)/female

total population

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0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

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21.2 years (2008 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

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130 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total

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14.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male

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11.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female

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9.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

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76.3 years (2024 est.)

male

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74.5 years

female

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78.1 years

Total fertility rate

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1.86 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

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0.91 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

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urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

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rural: 85.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 91.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

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urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

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rural: 14.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 8.9% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

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7.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

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19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

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0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

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1.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

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urban: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

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rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

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urban: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

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rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

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24.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total

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3.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer

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1.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

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0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

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1.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

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0.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total

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9% (2025 est.)

male

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15.1% (2025 est.)

female

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3.1% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

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2.5% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

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35.2% (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

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5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

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17.9% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

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90.8% (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total

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13 years (2015 est.)

male

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12 years (2015 est.)

female

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14 years (2015 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston from vehicle emissions; land erosion

International environmental agreements

party to

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Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

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none of the selected agreements

Climate

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tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Land use

agricultural land

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38.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.)

forest

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56.2% (2023 est.)

other

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5.3% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population

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57.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

total emissions

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7.89 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

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239,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

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6.04 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

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1.611 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

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14.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

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1.052 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

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15% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal

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339.867 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

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43.989 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural

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78.972 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

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10.823 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form

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none

conventional short form

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Jamaica

etymology

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from the Arawak word xaymaca, meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or possibly "Land of Springs"

Government type

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parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name

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Kingston

geographic coordinates

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18 00 N, 76 48 W

time difference

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UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology

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the name is a blend of the words "king's" and "town;" named after the English king at the time of the city's founding in 1692, WILLIAM III 

Administrative divisions

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14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

note

note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Legal system

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common law system based on the English model

Constitution

history

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several previous (pre-independence); latest drafted 1961-62, submitted to British Parliament 24 July 1962, entered into force 6 August 1962 (at independence)

amendment process

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proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to "non-entrenched" constitutional sections, such as lowering the voting age, requires majority vote by the Parliament membership; passage of amendments to "entrenched" sections, such as fundamental rights and freedoms, requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; passage of amendments to "specially entrenched" sections such as the dissolution of Parliament or the executive authority of the monarch requires two-thirds approval by Parliament and approval in a referendum 

International law organization participation

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

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yes

citizenship by descent only

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yes

dual citizenship recognized

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yes

residency requirement for naturalization

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4 out of the previous 5 years

Suffrage

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18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

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King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Sir Patrick L. ALLEN (since 26 February 2009)

head of government

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Prime Minister Andrew HOLNESS (since 3 March 2016)

cabinet

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Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

election/appointment process

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the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives as prime minister

Legislative branch

legislature name

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Parliament

legislative structure

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bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

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House of Representatives

number of seats

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63 (all directly elected)

electoral system

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plurality/majority

scope of elections

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full renewal

term in office

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5 years

most recent election date

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9/3/2025

parties elected and seats per party

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Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (35); People's National Party (PNP) (28)

percentage of women in chamber

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30.2%

expected date of next election

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August 2030

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

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Senate

number of seats

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21 (all appointed)

scope of elections

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full renewal

term in office

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5 years

most recent election date

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9/18/2025

percentage of women in chamber

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33.3%

expected date of next election

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September 2030

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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Court of Appeal (consists of president of the court and a minimum of 4 judges); Supreme Court (40 judges organized in specialized divisions)

judge selection and term of office

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chief justice of the Supreme Court and president of the Court of Appeal appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister; other judges of both courts appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; judges of both courts serve till age 70

subordinate courts

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resident magistrate courts, district courts, and petty sessions courts

note

note: appeals beyond Jamaica's highest courts are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) rather than to the Caribbean Court of Justice (the appellate court for member states of the Caribbean Community)

Political parties

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Jamaica Labor Party or JLP Jamaica Progressive Party or JPP People's National Party or PNP United Independents' Congress or UIC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador Antony B. ANDERSON (since 24 July 2025)

chancery

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1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone

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[1] (202) 452-0660

FAX

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[1] (202) 452-0036

email address and website

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contactus@jamaicaembassy.org Jamaican Embassy (embassyofjamaica.org)

consulate(s) general

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Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Scott RENNER (since 13 August 2025)

embassy

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142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6

mailing address

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3210 Kingston Place, Washington DC  20521-3210

telephone

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(876) 702-6000

FAX

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(876) 702-6348

email address and website

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KingstonACS@state.gov https://jm.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

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ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

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6 August 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday

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Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Flag

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description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles, two green (top and bottom) and two black (left and right) meaning: green stands for hope, vegetation, and agriculture; black for hardships overcome and to be faced; and yellow for sunshine and natural resources

National symbol(s)

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green-and-black streamertail (bird), guaiacwood (Guiacum officinale)

National color(s)

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green, yellow, black

National anthem(s)

title

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"Jamaica, Land We Love"

lyrics/music

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Hugh Braham SHERLOCK/Robert Charles LIGHTBOURNE

history

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adopted 1962

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites

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2 ( 1mixed,1 cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales

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Blue and John Crow Mountains (m); The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal (c)

Economy

Economic overview

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upper-middle-income Caribbean island economy; key agriculture and tourism sectors; high crime, youth unemployment, and poverty; susceptible to natural disasters and global commodity price shocks; progress in reducing public debt and moderating inflation within target range

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

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$29.13 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

text

$29.341 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

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$28.596 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024

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-0.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

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2.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

text

5.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

text

$10,300 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

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$10,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

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$10,100 (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

text

$19.93 billion (2024 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

text

5.4% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

text

6.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

text

10.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

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9.8% (2024 est.)

industry

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18.3% (2024 est.)

services

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60.3% (2024 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

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76.2% (2019 est.)

government consumption

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13.6% (2019 est.)

investment in fixed capital

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24.1% (2019 est.)

investment in inventories

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0.2% (2019 est.)

exports of goods and services

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38% (2019 est.)

imports of goods and services

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-52.1% (2019 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

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sugarcane, goat milk, yams, chicken, oranges, coconuts, bananas, plantains, pumpkins/squash, pineapples (2023)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

text

agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction, financial and insurance services, tourism, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate

text

-1.5% (2024 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

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1.57 million (2024 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024

text

4.9% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

text

4.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

text

4.1% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total

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14.5% (2024 est.)

male

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12.9% (2024 est.)

female

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16.4% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

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16.7% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

text

39.9 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%

text

2.2% (2021 est.)

highest 10%

text

29.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

Remittances 2024

text

17.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances 2023

text

18.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2022

text

21.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues

text

$4.041 billion (2020 est.)

expenditures

text

$4.466 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

Public debt 2020

text

106.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Taxes and other revenues

text

25.7% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024

text

$678.808 million (2024 est.)

Current account balance 2023

text

$568.932 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2022

text

-$136.401 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports

Exports 2024

text

$7.124 billion (2024 est.)

Exports 2023

text

$7.275 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2022

text

$6.424 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - partners

text

USA 37%, Russia 7%, Latvia 7%, Iceland 7%, UK 5% (2023)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

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aluminum oxide, refined petroleum, natural gas, liquor, processed fruits and nuts (2023)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

Imports 2024

text

$9.524 billion (2024 est.)

Imports 2023

text

$9.866 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2022

text

$9.726 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - partners

text

USA 39%, China 11%, Brazil 4%, Colombia 4%, Japan 4% (2023)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

text

refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, crude petroleum, plastic products (2023)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

text

$4.869 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

text

$4.52 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

text

$4.838 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

text

$9.636 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Exchange rates

Currency

text

Jamaican dollars (JMD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

text

156.44 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

text

154.159 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

text

153.427 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

text

150.79 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

text

142.403 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population

text

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity

text

1.242 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption

text

3.301 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

text

1.181 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

text

87.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

text

2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

text

6.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

text

2.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

text

1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

consumption

text

106,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

text

100 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

text

105,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production

text

3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

text

41,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

text

822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

text

822.549 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

text

42.095 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions

text

459,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

16 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

text

3.34 million (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

118 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

text

3 free-to-air TV stations, subscription cable services, and roughly 30 radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

text

.jm

Internet users

percent of population

text

83% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total

text

448,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

16 (2023 est.)

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

text

Airports

text

20 (2025)

Heliports

text

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

total

text

40 (2023)

by type

text

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 11, oil tanker 1, other 27

Ports

total ports

text

11 (2024)

large

text

medium

text

small

text

very small

text

ports with oil terminals

text

key ports

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Falmouth, Kingston, Lucea, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Rio Bueno, Rocky Point, Savannah la Mar

Military and Security

Military and security forces

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Jamaica Defense Force (JDF): Jamaica Regiment (Land Force), Maritime, Air, and Cyber Command (MACC), Support Brigade, Caribbean Military Academy, Jamaica National Reserve (2025)

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note: the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is the country’s police force; it has primary responsibility for internal security and has units for community policing, special response, intelligence gathering, and internal affairs; both it and the JDF are under the Ministry of National Security

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024

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1.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

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1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

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1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

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1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

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1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

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approximately 4,000 active Jamaica Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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the JDF's inventory features equipment mostly from Australia, the Netherlands, and the US (2025)

Military service age and obligation

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18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent) for men and women; 18-28 for the reserves; no conscription; since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC), which has a service requirement of 12 months (2025)

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note 1: the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF), a youth organization under the Ministry of Security, also provides a recruitment pool for the JDF, as well as other government agencies note 2: as of 2022, women made up about 20% of the JDF's uniformed personnel

Military - note

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in addition to its responsibility of defending against external aggression, the Jamaican Defense Force's (JDF) primary missions are border, cyber, internal, and maritime security; other missions include search and rescue, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping; it has arrest authority and partners with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), particularly in support of combating crime and violence; both the JDF and JCF are under the Ministry of National Security, which directs policy for the security forces; the JDF participates in bilateral and multinational training exercises, including with the armed forces of Canada, the UK, the US, and other Caribbean nations while Jamaica had a militia force as early as the 1660s, the JDF was constituted in 1962 from the West India Regiment (WIR), a British colonial regiment which dates back to 1795 (2025)