Official name: Jamaica
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952); represented by Governor General Kenneth Hall (appointed 15 February 2006)
Head of government: Prime Minister Bruce Golding (from 11 Sep 2007)
Ruling party: Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (from 3 Sep 2007)
Area: 10,989 square km
Capital: Kingston
Population: 2,714,000 (2007); 52% lives in urban areas; growth 1.2% p.a. 1970–90 and 0.8% p.a. 1990–2004 but emigration (principally to the UK, Canada and the USA) has been significant for two generations; birth rate (2005) 17 per 1,000 people (35 in 1970); life expectancy 71 years (68 in 1970).
The population is predominantly of African descent, with European-, East Indian- and Chinese-descended minorities, and some people of mixed descent.
Ethnic Make-up: black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
Education: Public spending on education was 5.3% of GDP in 2005. There are six years of compulsory education starting at age six. Net enrolment ratios are 90% for primary and 78% for secondary (2005). The pupil–teacher ratio for primary is 28:1 and for secondary 18:1 (2005). The school year starts in September.
About 17% of the relevant age group is enrolled in tertiary education (10% of males and 25% of females, 2002/03). The regional University of the West Indies (established in 1946) has its principal campus at Mona, near Kingston, and other main campuses in Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago. Degree courses are also offered at University College Hospital (established 1953) and the University of Technology (Utech). Illiteracy among people age 15–24 is 5.5% (8.7% for males and 2.2% for females, 2002).…
