
Population growth in Jamaica
From 1960 to 2020 the population of Jamaica increased from 1.63 m to 2.96 m people. This is a growth by 81.8 percent in 60 years. The highest increase in Jamaica was recorded in 1982 with 1.69%. The smallest increase in 2020 with 0.44%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age in Jamaica rose by 1.90 years from 2012 to 2020 from 27.50 to 29.40 years (median value).
Around 56% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.0% annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Jamaica
Population development in Jamaica since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)Year | Population Jamaica | Change | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 1.65 M | 1.38 % | 40.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 1.68 M | 1.54 % | 40.8 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 1.70 M | 1.62 % | 40.7 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 1.73 M | 1.59 % | 40.3 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 1.76 M | 1.49 % | 39.8 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 1.78 M | 1.37 % | 39.2 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 1.80 M | 1.28 % | 38.3 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 1.83 M | 1.25 % | 37.3 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 1.85 M | 1.30 % | 36.3 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 1.88 M | 1.40 % | 35.2 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 1.90 M | 1.53 % | 34.1 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 1.94 M | 1.62 % | 33.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 1.97 M | 1.65 % | 32.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 2.00 M | 1.59 % | 31.1 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 2.03 M | 1.49 % | 30.3 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 2.06 M | 1.35 % | 29.7 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 2.08 M | 1.24 % | 29.3 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 2.11 M | 1.21 % | 29.0 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 2.13 M | 1.28 % | 28.9 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 2.16 M | 1.41 % | 28.7 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 2.20 M | 1.58 % | 28.6 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 2.23 M | 1.69 % | 28.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 2.27 M | 1.69 % | 28.3 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 2.31 M | 1.52 % | 28.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 2.34 M | 1.26 % | 27.6 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 2.36 M | 0.97 % | 27.1 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 2.38 M | 0.73 % | 26.6 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 2.39 M | 0.59 % | 26.2 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 2.40 M | 0.59 % | 25.7 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 2.42 M | 0.68 % | 25.3 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 2.44 M | 0.80 % | 25.0 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 2.46 M | 0.89 % | 24.6 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 2.48 M | 0.96 % | 24.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 2.51 M | 0.98 % | 24.0 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 2.53 M | 0.98 % | 23.7 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 2.56 M | 0.98 % | 23.3 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 2.58 M | 0.99 % | 22.9 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 2.61 M | 0.97 % | 22.4 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 2.63 M | 0.91 % | 21.9 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 2.65 M | 0.84 % | 21.4 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 2.67 M | 0.75 % | 20.8 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 2.69 M | 0.68 % | 20.3 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 2.71 M | 0.62 % | 19.9 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 2.73 M | 0.57 % | 19.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 2.74 M | 0.55 % | 19.1 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 2.75 M | 0.53 % | 18.8 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 2.77 M | 0.50 % | 18.6 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 2.78 M | 0.49 % | 18.3 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 2.80 M | 0.50 % | 18.0 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 2.81 M | 0.52 % | 17.7 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 2.83 M | 0.55 % | 17.5 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 2.84 M | 0.57 % | 17.2 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 2.86 M | 0.58 % | 17.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 2.88 M | 0.57 % | 16.8 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 2.89 M | 0.55 % | 16.6 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 2.91 M | 0.53 % | 16.5 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 2.92 M | 0.50 % | 16.3 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 2.93 M | 0.48 % | 16.1 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 2.95 M | 0.46 % | 15.9 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 2.96 M | 0.44 % | 7,762 M | 1.02 % |

Birth- and deathrate in Jamaica
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2019 in the graph: The population in Jamaica increased by about 13,400 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 7.6 per 1000 people (~ 22,300 deaths) and the birth rate was 15.9 per 1000 people (~ 46,700 births). As a result, around 11,000 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 21,569 in Jamaica. The number of births was 48,286 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate