Capital

Jamaika

name: Kingston

geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name is a blending of the words "king's" and "town"; the English king at the time of the city's founding in 1692 was WILLIAM III (r. 1689-1702)

Mauretanien

name: Nouakchott

geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds"

Citizenship

Jamaika

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 5 years

Mauretanien

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Jamaika

common law system based on the English model

Mauretanien

mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

Suffrage

Jamaika

18 years of age; universal

Mauretanien

18 years of age; universal

Area

Jamaika

total: 10,991 sq km

land: 10,831 sq km

water: 160 sq km

Mauretanien

total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Jamaika

agricultural land: 41.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 9.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 21.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 31.1% (2018 est.)

other: 27.5% (2018 est.)

Mauretanien

agricultural land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)

other: 61.3% (2018 est.)

Location

Jamaika

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Mauretanien

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Age structure

Jamaika

0-14 years: 24.11% (male 346,566/female 333,673)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 914,208/female 942,134)

65 years and over: 10.08% (2023 est.) (male 135,388/female 149,013)

Mauretanien

0-14 years: 36.11% (male 769,229/female 763,465)

15-64 years: 59.58% (male 1,197,311/female 1,331,815)

65 years and over: 4.31% (2023 est.) (male 77,123/female 105,935)

Birth rate

Jamaika

15.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Mauretanien

27.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Jamaika

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Mauretanien

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Jamaika

English, Jamaican patois

Mauretanien

Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note - the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the Modern Standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Jamaika

total population: 76 years (2023 est.)

male: 74.3 years

female: 77.9 years

Mauretanien

total population: 65.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 63.1 years

female: 68.1 years

Major urban areas - population

Jamaika

597,000 KINGSTON (capital) (2023)

Mauretanien

1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023)

Median age

Jamaika

total: 30.5 years (2023 est.)

male: 29.7 years

female: 31.3 years

Mauretanien

total: 21.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.9 years

female: 22.8 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Jamaika

21.2 years (2008 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Mauretanien

21.8 years (2019/21)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Jamaika

-7.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Mauretanien

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Jamaika

population density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivel

Mauretanien

with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Jamaika

0.09% (2023 est.)

Mauretanien

1.96% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Jamaika

2.05 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Mauretanien

3.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Jamaika

urban population: 57.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Mauretanien

urban population: 57.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Jamaika

6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

1.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Jamaika

total: 12 years

male: 11 years

female: 13 years (2015)

Mauretanien

total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Jamaika

0.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Mauretanien

-0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Jamaika

2.38% (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

-6.61% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Jamaika

1.418 million (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

1.197 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Jamaika

17.1% (2016 est.)

Mauretanien

31% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

Jamaika

9.18% (2021 est.)

9.48% (2020 est.)

7.69% (2019 est.)

Mauretanien

11.46% (2021 est.)

11.27% (2020 est.)

10.39% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Jamaika

106.28% of GDP (2020 est.)

92.25% of GDP (2019 est.)

102.46% of GDP (2017 est.)

Mauretanien

96.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

100% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Jamaika

5.86% (2021 est.)

5.23% (2020 est.)

3.91% (2019 est.)

Mauretanien

3.57% (2021 est.)

2.39% (2020 est.)

2.3% (2019 est.)

Exports

Jamaika

$4.385 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.343 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.991 billion (2019 est.)

Mauretanien

$3.18 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.784 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.525 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Jamaika

United States 46%, Netherlands 9%, Canada 6%, United Kingdom 4&, Russia 3% (2021)

Mauretanien

China 32%, Switzerland 13%, Spain 9%, Japan 9%, Italy 5% (2019)

Imports

Jamaika

$7.414 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.911 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$8.317 billion (2019 est.)

Mauretanien

$4.312 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.675 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.683 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Jamaika

United States 35%, China 13%, Turkey 5%, Trinidad and Tobago 3%, Japan 3% (2021)

Mauretanien

China 26%, France 6%, Spain 6%, Morocco 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Airports

Jamaika

28 (2021)

Mauretanien

30 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Jamaika

total: 385,603 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2020 est.)

Mauretanien

total: 18,457 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.4 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Jamaika

total: 2.296 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 82% (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

total: 2.714 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 59% (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

total: 728 km (2014)

standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Jamaika

total: 22,121 km (2011) (includes 44 km of expressways)

paved: 16,148 km (2011)

unpaved: 5,973 km (2011)

Mauretanien

total: 12,253 km (2018)

paved: 3,988 km (2018)

unpaved: 8,265 km (2018)

Telephones - fixed lines

Jamaika

total subscriptions: 473,617 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

total subscriptions: 58,094 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Jamaika

total subscriptions: 2,905,408 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 103 (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

total subscriptions: 6,512,361 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2021 est.)

Mauretanien

1,086 km (2022) (some navigation possible on the Senegal River)

Disputes - international

Jamaika

none identified

Mauretanien

Mauritania-Algeria: none identified

Mauritania-Mali: there are no border disputes, but the border has not been demarcated; talks on demarcation were reportedly being held in February 2022

Mauritania-Morocco: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant; tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag

Mauritania-Senegal: none identified