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

Health

see 2.5 times more spent on your healthcare

India spends $346 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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have 17.5% more access to essential health services

India scores 63 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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be 86.5% less likely to die by suicide

India has a suicide rate of 12.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 5.5 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In India, 0.2% 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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be 4.4 times more likely to be obese

In India, 8.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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have 36.4% fewer doctors per person

India has 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 22.0% less likely to be unemployed

In India, 4.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 3.0 times more money

India has a GDP per capita of $2,702 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 29.6% less likely to die during infancy

In India, approximately 23.3 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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be 62.5% more likely to die during childbirth

In India, approximately 80.0 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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have 28.3% fewer children

In India, there are approximately 16.0 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 28.7% more likely to have internet access

In India, approximately 70.0% of the population has internet access as of 2025. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 34.4% more on education

India spends 4.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 2.3 times more on healthcare

India spends 3.3% 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 85.4% less coastline

India has a total of 7,000 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 17.5 times more likely to be murdered

India has a homicide rate of 2.8 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 15.6% more likely to die in a road accident

In India, road accidents kill 15.4 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 5.1 times more home broadband

India has 3.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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live with 81.4% less strain on fresh water

India withdraws 66% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 73.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In India, air pollution causes 83.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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emit 30.9% more CO2

India emits 2.2 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 (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. 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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