Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 18%
forest and woodland: 28%
other: 29%
Irrigated land: 350 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial
waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution
in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
Geographic note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and
Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal
People ———
Population: 2,595,275 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 430,609; female 411,966)
15-64 years: 61% (male 781,626; female 795,808)
65 years and over: 7% (male 77,725; female 97,541) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.8% (1996 est.)