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