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

Health

be 95.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Swaziland, 23.4% 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 7.3 years longer

In Swaziland, the average life expectancy is 64 years (61 years for men, 67 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 32.1% more access to essential health services

Swaziland scores 56 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Jamaica scores 74 as of 2021.

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be 93.8% less likely to die by suicide

Swaziland has a suicide rate of 27.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Jamaica, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 18.9% more likely to be obese

In Swaziland, 29.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Jamaica, that number is 35.2% of people as of 2024.

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have 17.4% fewer doctors per person

Swaziland has 5.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Jamaica has 4.6 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 90.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Swaziland, 34.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Jamaica, that number is 3.3% as of 2025.

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be 85.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Swaziland, 53.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Jamaica, however, that number is 7.8% as of 2024.

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make 94.8% more money

Swaziland has a GDP per capita of $4,108 as of 2025, while in Jamaica, the GDP per capita is $8,003 as of 2025.

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Life

be 61.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Swaziland, approximately 42.2 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 51.6% fewer children

In Swaziland, there are approximately 23.6 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 13.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Swaziland, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (91% in urban areas, and 85% 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 42.1% more likely to have internet access

In Swaziland, approximately 63.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Jamaica, about 90.1% do as of 2024.

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Safety

be 27.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Swaziland, road accidents kill 24.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Jamaica, they kill 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.0 times more likely to be murdered

Swaziland has a homicide rate of 12.5 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 6.4 times more home broadband

Swaziland has 2.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Jamaica has 16.0 as of 2024.

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live with 84.0% less strain on fresh water

Swaziland withdraws 78% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Jamaica withdraws 12% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 66.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Swaziland, air pollution causes 66.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Jamaica, it causes 22.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.2 times more CO2

Swaziland emits 0.9 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). 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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