Demography of Jamaica

According to the July 2006 survey carried out, the demography of Jamaica was 2,758,124 . Jamaica is the 3 rd largest island in the Caribbean group of islands with a population density of 216 persons per sq km.

History?

Hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans have emigrated, to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and other countries over the past several decades. Economic circumstances determined how far they were able to travel. Though in recent years the emigration appears to have been somewhat tapering off. Besides Canada provides, even today, with a guest worker program - Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, which takes in workers from the Caribbean, and especially from Jamaica.

Jamaican population is mainly made up of:

• African-Black 90.9 %
• Mulatto 7.3 %
• East Indian 2.31%
• White 0.2 %
• Chinese 0.2 %
• Other 0.1 %

There has also been a steady rise in the number of people immigrating from countries like Colombia, South Asia, China, and many parts of the West Indies.

Recent Growth?

The population growth even a decade ago in the year 1996 was 2,527,400 with an annual growth rate of 1 %. According to the 2001 census the population was 2621100 with an annual growth rate of 0.6%. The Statistical Institute (STATIN) of Jamaica predicted the crude birth rate to be 19.3 per 1000 mean population and the crude death rate to be 6.4 per 1000 mean population in the year 2003. The population growth rate was 0.8% in 2006. About 33.1% are in the age group of 0-14 years, 59.6% between the age group of 15-64 years and 7.3% are over 65 years. Out of these religion wise there are 61.3% Protestants which includes the Church of God, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Anglican, Methodist, United Church, Jehovah's Witness, Brethren and Moravian; 4% are Roman Catholic and the rest 34.7% are some spiritual cults. The ethnic groups according to Jamaica's demography are:

• Black 90.9%
• East Indian 1.3%
• White 0.2%
• Chinese 0.2%
• Mixed 7.3%
• Other 0.1%

These basic facts and figures about the demography of Jamaica helps to aid in better dealing with poverty, environmental degradation, and unsustainable level of consumption, production crime and violence.

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