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

Health

live 9.3 years longer

In Nauru, the average life expectancy is 62 years (60 years for men, 64 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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be 50.7% less likely to be obese

In Nauru, 71.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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have 23.3% more access to essential health services

Nauru scores 60 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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see 64.9% less spent on your healthcare

Nauru spends $2,474 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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Economy

make 45.3% less money

Nauru has a GDP per capita of $14,640 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 52.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Nauru, approximately 273.0 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 2.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Nauru, approximately 7.7 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 53.4% fewer children

In Nauru, there are approximately 24.6 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 10.5% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Nauru, approximately 98% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Jamaica, 88% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 58.3% less on healthcare

Nauru spends 18.2% 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 34.1 times more coastline

Nauru has a total of 30 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 2.2 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Nauru, road accidents kill 8.0 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 60.4% more home broadband

Nauru has 10.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (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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How big is Jamaica compared to Nauru? See an in-depth size comparison.

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