If you lived in Jamaica instead of Cameroon, you would:

Health

be 56.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Cameroon, 2.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 7.6 years longer

In Cameroon, the average life expectancy is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 3.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Cameroon spends $246 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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have 3.4 times more doctors per person

Cameroon has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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have 68.2% more access to essential health services

Cameroon scores 44 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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be 80.1% less likely to die by suicide

Cameroon has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.2 times more likely to be obese

In Cameroon, 16.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 79.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Cameroon, 37.7% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Jamaica, however, that number is 7.8% as of 2024.

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make 4.1 times more money

Cameroon has a GDP per capita of $1,972 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 49.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Cameroon, approximately 258.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Jamaica, 130.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 22.3% more likely to be literate

In Cameroon, the literacy rate is 72.5% as of 2018. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

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be 59.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Cameroon, approximately 40.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 65.7% fewer children

In Cameroon, there are approximately 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Jamaica, there are 11.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 35.7% more likely to have access to electricity

In Cameroon, approximately 72% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 26% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 98% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 94.8% more likely to have internet access

In Cameroon, approximately 46.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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be 22.6% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Cameroon, approximately 71% of people have access to drinking water (82% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 88% of people on average (90% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 94.0% more on education

Cameroon spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 67.0% more on healthcare

Cameroon spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.5 times more coastline

Cameroon has a total of 402 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 7.3 times more likely to be murdered

Cameroon has a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Jamaica, that number is 49.4 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 67.9% more likely to die in a road accident

In Cameroon, road accidents kill 10.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 7.5 times more home broadband

Cameroon has 2.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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use 5.3 times more electricity

Cameroon uses 226 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Jamaica uses 1,205 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 7.9 times more strain on fresh water

Cameroon withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 78.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Cameroon, air pollution causes 101.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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emit 8.1 times more CO2

Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2015), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Jamaica: At a glance

Jamaica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 10,831 sq km. The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by 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 gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent 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, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
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