Location
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
4243.6 (Area in Sq Miles) 10,991 (Area in Sq. km)

Length
235 kilometres

Width
Varying from 35 to 82 kilometres

Time Zone
Eastern Standard Time

Average Temperature
27 degrees Celsius

Climate
Tropical

Average Rainfall
1.087 ( Mean Rainfall 2004)

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

Capital
Kingston

Language
English and a dialect known as Patois


Ethnic Groups
Black, East Indian, Chinese, White, Mixed

Natural Resources
Water, Bauxite, Limestone and Sand

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

Principal Exports
Alumina, Sugar, Bauxite, Rum, Coffee

Major Trading Partners
USA, UK, Canada, China, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Trinidad & Tobago

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.

GDP Per Capita
90,738 per capita indicators ($) constant prices

Trade Balance
US$221.7M as of June 2007

Literacy Rate
79.9% as at 1999

Highest Point
Blue Mountain Peak (2,256 metres)

Newspapers
The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer, The Sunday Herald