If you lived in Jamaica instead of Central African Republic, you would:

Health

be 54.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Central African Republic, 2.4% 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 13.9 years longer

In Central African Republic, the average life expectancy is 58 years (56 years for men, 60 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 6.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Central African Republic spends $137 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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have 6.2 times more doctors per person

Central African Republic has 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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have 2.3 times more access to essential health services

Central African Republic scores 32 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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be 81.6% less likely to die by suicide

Central African Republic has a suicide rate of 9.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.2 times more likely to be obese

In Central African Republic, 10.9% 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 47.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Central African Republic, 6.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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be 88.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Central African Republic, 68.8% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Jamaica, however, that number is 7.8% as of 2024.

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make 14.4 times more money

Central African Republic has a GDP per capita of $556 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 81.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Central African Republic, approximately 692.0 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 72.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Central African Republic, approximately 58.8 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 75.2% fewer children

In Central African Republic, there are approximately 46.2 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 5.6 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Central African Republic, approximately 18% of people have electricity access (37% in urban areas, and 2% 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 6.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Central African Republic, approximately 13.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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be 2.4 times more likely to have access to drinking water

In Central African Republic, approximately 36% of people have access to drinking water (48% in urban areas, and 27% 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 28.7% less on healthcare

Central African Republic spends 10.7% 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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spend 3.0 times more on education

Central African Republic spends 1.8% 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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Safety

be 31.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Central African Republic, road accidents kill 25.9 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 799.0 times more home broadband

Central African Republic has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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live with 36.4 times more strain on fresh water

Central African Republic withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 77.6% less likely to die from air pollution

In Central African Republic, air pollution causes 98.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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emit 47.3 times more CO2

Central African Republic emits 0.1 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 (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), 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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