from 1.5% in
1992 to 0.5% in 1995). In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%)
and remained negative through 1999. Serious problems include: high
interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial
condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or
closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment
portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a
pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise
trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts
to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial
sector. Depressed economic conditions in 1999-2000 led to increased
civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term
prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive
sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the
labor environment, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing
proper fiscal and monetary policies.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.2% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.4%

industry: 35.2%

services: 57.4% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 34.2% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:
2.9%

highest 10%: 28.9% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 1.13 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation: services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry
19% (1998)

Unemployment rate: 16% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.23 billion

expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of
$232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light
manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products

Industrial production growth rate: -2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 6.53 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92.28%

hydro: 1.36%

nuclear: 0%

other: 6.36% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 6.073 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus,
potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum

Exports - partners: US 3