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

Health

be 80.6% less likely to die by suicide

Spain has a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.7 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Spain, 0.3% 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 12.3 years less

In Spain, the average life expectancy is 84 years (81 years for men, 86 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 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In Spain, 15.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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see 82.4% less spent on your healthcare

Spain spends $4,935 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Jamaica spends $869 as of 2023.

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have 89.3% fewer doctors per person

Spain has 42.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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have 12.9% less access to essential health services

Spain scores 85 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 68.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Spain, 10.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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be 61.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Spain, 20.2% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Jamaica, however, that number is 7.8% as of 2024.

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make 79.3% less money

Spain has a GDP per capita of $38,627 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

have 76.2% more children

In Spain, there are approximately 6.5 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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be 43.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Spain, approximately 3.0 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 6.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Spain, approximately 2.6 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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Basic Needs

be 12.4% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Spain, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 100% 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 17.6% less on healthcare

Spain spends 9.2% 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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spend 20.0% more on education

Spain spends 4.6% 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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Geography

see 79.4% less coastline

Spain has a total of 4,964 km of coastline. In Jamaica, that number is 1,022 km.

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Safety

be 71.7 times more likely to be murdered

Spain has a homicide rate of 0.7 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Jamaica, that number is 49.4 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 5.1 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Spain, road accidents kill 3.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 71.4% less strain on fresh water

Spain withdraws 43% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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find 59.3% less home broadband

Spain has 39.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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use 76.8% less electricity

Spain uses 5,196 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Jamaica uses 1,205 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 37.0% less CO2

Spain emits 4.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.2 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Spain, air pollution causes 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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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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