Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Jamaica vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 170 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Jamaica
jam
Leads on 56 of 170 metrics
Malaysia
mys
Leads on 106 of 170 metrics

Summary

Malaysia has 12.8 times as many people as Jamaica (36.4 million vs 2.83 million). Malaysia's economy is 17.6 times the size of Jamaica's ($466.53 billion vs $26.44 billion GDP).

Comparing Jamaica and Malaysia: Jamaica leads on Major Urban Areas Population (597,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people); Jamaica leads on Televisions (460,000) against Malaysia (10.80); Malaysia leads on Oil Production (664,800) against Jamaica (506). Across 170 compared metrics, Jamaica wins on 56 and Malaysia wins on 106.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration15.98 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)90.11 %98.02 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)89.47 %97.69 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 83% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed15.98 Mbps★13.55 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score75.83 points★56.09 points
Radios1.2210.9★
Televisions460,000★10.8
Waterwaysnone7,296

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $47.38B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars26.44B $466.53B $★
Apple Import Volume1.41M tonnes101.62M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate73.3 %88.37 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.25 %★3 %
Coal Revenue00.02★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)14.91 %★4.61 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %★24 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.1 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index97.4★83.3
Electricity Consumption2.85136.9★
Electricity Exports03★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels83★78
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants318★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables15★4
Electricity Imports033★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.0833★
Electricity Production4.01148.3★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)42.1 USD per capita113.16 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate68.51 %★56.67 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-6.22 %-1.43 %★
Gender Wage Gap-6.22 %★-1.43 %
Gini Index Coefficient39.940.7★
Gross Fixed Investment19.525.2★
Gross National Saving18.328.5★
High-Tech Export Percentage1.38 %63.18 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries11,357.92 USD35,461.45 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.5 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate4 %1.38 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)5.4 %1.8 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.4 % of GDP★1 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption198.2★30.44
Natural Gas Exports038.23★
Natural Gas Imports198.2★2.8
Natural Gas Production069.49★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18★
Oil Consumption63,000561,000★
Oil Exports0644,900★
Oil Imports90,520355,300★
Oil Production506664,800★
Oil Proved Reserves04★
Population Below Poverty Line16.7 people6.2 people★
Public Debt106.364.3★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.06 %0.65 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-0.7 USD5.1 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends7 %★5.3 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption55,000704,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports823208,400★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports30,580304,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production24,250528,300★
Remittances17.9★0.4
Revenue from Forest Resources0.151.57★
Robotics Research Funding0.06 USD0.65 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)1.390.01★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.67 %10.88 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.67 % of GDP★10.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues25.7★12.6
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)1.39 %3.69 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP9.8 %★6.76 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)9.8 %★6.76 %
Unemployment Rate4.9 %3.9 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate69.57 %66.12 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.81 %★11.95 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)332,847.5★13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate3,886 %★-60,000 %
Average Annual Temperature26.67 °C★25.87 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.89★260.01
Global Precipitation Distribution1,149.2 mm3,150.09 mm★
Population Distributionpopulation density is high throughout, but increases in and around Kingston, Montego Bay, and Port Esquivela highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation21.39 sq km★13.3 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage19.9 %★13.3 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country5.47 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources10.82580★
Total Threatened Mammal Species7 species★80 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.24 %★4.11 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)158.5209.87★
Agricultural land4,170 sq. km85,710 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km10,830328,550★
Coastline Length (km)1,022 km4,675 km★
Dam capacity per capita1.9 cubic meters per inhabitant611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2504,420★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country50.71 %67.87 %★
Administrative Divisions14★13
Corruption Perception Index44 index★50 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score44 index50 index★
Independence631★
LGBT Rights Index Score-1.29★-2.46
Prison Population Rate137 per 100,000★188 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception44★50
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Average BMI for Adults25.8 kg/m²★25.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate94 %96 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)80.886.65★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.521.1★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders71.61 years76.82 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.37 per 1,000 births0.48 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,085.37 USD1,703.34 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score74 score80 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.2 % of GDP★4.4 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy71.61 years76.82 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate1.3 %0.3 %★
Hospital Bed Density1.7 people/sq km2 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.65 beds per 1,0001.96 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.68 %★13.81 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)130 %26 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.62 per 1,000 people4.05 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.7 %15.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending20.25 %★37.09 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS32,000★92,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people1 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.462.34★
Underweight Children Under 52.5★15.3

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Active Military Personnel6,000 personnel113,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.37 %1.04 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)6,000136,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)35.28 %58.88 %★
Human Capital Index0.520.65★
Life expectancy at birth75.32 years80.87 years★
Median age of population33.25 years★31.44 years
Population Change-3,759.8 persons428,622.9 persons★
Population density262.07 per sq. km110.8 per sq. km★
Total population2.83M persons36.40M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.94★0.29
Beer Consumption per Capita1.28 liters★0.51 liters
Birth Rate (%)16.08 %★14.05 %
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA52.2 %
Crude Birth Rate11.45 per 1,000 people12.36 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)7.37 %5.8 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.5 % of GDP★3.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age794,250.1 persons9.69M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)33.41 %52.42 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate15.98 %★13.55 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.57 male/female106.37 male/female★
Human Development Index0.49★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate1.5718.26★
Learning-adjusted years of school6.68 years9.72 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population597,000 people★8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)174.53★167.88
Mean Years of Schooling10.1 years11.96 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1821★
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.77 %10.6 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization72.89 %83.21 %★
Physician Density0.46 people/sq km2.34 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.25 %0.97 %★
Population living in slums0.88 %★0.2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio22.1111.66★
Total deaths21,923.2 persons★179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)45.93 %★42.17 %
Total fertility rate1.33 per woman1.53 per woman★
Total net-migration-13,229.7 persons162,673.4 persons★
Under-five mortality rate18.38 per live births5.53 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.76 %1.79 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.831.58★
Airports20100★
Civil Air Travel853★
Heliports224★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.31B USD24.59B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇯🇲 Jamaica🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Current Bank Rate5.75 %★2.75 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Jamaica vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, Jamaica or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 12.8 times as many people as Jamaica (36.4 million vs 2.83 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Jamaica or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 17.6 times the size of Jamaica's ($466.53 billion vs $26.44 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Jamaica or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $9,325 in Jamaica (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Jamaica comparisons

More Malaysia comparisons