Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 4.7 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Latvia, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2019. In Jamaica, that number is 1.4% of people as of 2020.

Economy

be 25.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Latvia, 22.9% live below the poverty line as of 2018. In Jamaica, however, that number is 17.1% as of 2016.

make 70.9% less money

Latvia has a GDP per capita of $29,900 as of 2020, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,700 as of 2020.

be 25.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Latvia, 6.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Jamaica, that number is 7.7% as of 2019.

Life

have 82.2% more children

In Latvia, there are approximately 8.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Jamaica, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 4.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Latvia, approximately 19.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Jamaica, 80.0 women do as of 2017.

be 11.2% less likely to be literate

In Latvia, the literacy rate is 99.9% as of 2018. In Jamaica, it is 88.7% as of 2015.

be 2.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Latvia, approximately 4.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Jamaica, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 38.8% less likely to have internet access

In Latvia, approximately 89.8% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Jamaica, about 55.0% do as of 2019.

Expenditures

spend 28.6% more on education

Latvia spends 4.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Jamaica spends 5.4% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

Geography

see 2.1 times more coastline

Latvia has a total of 498 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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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How big is Jamaica compared to Latvia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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