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

Health

be 87.8% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Namibia, 9.0% 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 4.1 years longer

In Namibia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 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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have 17.5% more access to essential health services

Namibia 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 80.3% less likely to die by suicide

Namibia has a suicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 92.7% more likely to be obese

In Namibia, 18.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 18.7% less spent on your healthcare

Namibia spends $1,068 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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have 16.8% fewer doctors per person

Namibia has 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 82.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Namibia, 19.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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make 64.1% more money

Namibia has a GDP per capita of $4,876 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 54.9% less likely to die during infancy

In Namibia, approximately 36.4 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 55.8% fewer children

In Namibia, there are approximately 25.9 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 72.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Namibia, approximately 57% of people have electricity access (75% in urban areas, and 34% 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 38.9% more likely to have internet access

In Namibia, approximately 64.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 39.3% less on education

Namibia spends 9.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Jamaica spends 5.5% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 19.8% less on healthcare

Namibia spends 9.5% 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 35.0% less coastline

Namibia has a total of 1,572 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 19.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Namibia, road accidents kill 22.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.4 times more likely to be murdered

Namibia has a homicide rate of 11.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, that number is 49.4 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 5.6 times more home broadband

Namibia has 2.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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live with 39.9 times more strain on fresh water

Namibia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 48.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Namibia, air pollution causes 43.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.4 times more CO2

Namibia emits 1.2 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 (2021–2025), 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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