Geography
Jamaica
Area
land
10,831 sq km
water
160 sq km
total
10,991 sq km
Climate
tropical; characterized by hot and humid conditions; temperate regions in the interior
Terrain
predominantly mountainous, featuring a narrow and discontinuous coastal plain
Land use
other
5.3% (2023 est.)
forest
56.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
38.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 21.1% (2023 est.)
Location
Caribbean, an island situated in the Caribbean Sea, southward of Cuba
Coastline
1,022 km
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
mean elevation
18 m
Irrigated land
250 sq km (2012)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
hurricane season occurs mainly from July to November
Geography - note
the third largest island in the Caribbean, following Cuba and Hispaniola; holds a strategic position between the Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, which are crucial maritime routes for the Panama Canal
Natural resources
bauxite, alumina, gypsum, and limestone
Area - comparative
approximately half the area of New Jersey; slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut
Geographic coordinates
18 15 N, 77 30 W
Population distribution
population density is consistently high across the island, with notable increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel