Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Jamaica
Jamaica: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 41.8% in 2014. ▲ Rising
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Jamaica, 1929–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 41.8% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2014.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Jamaica peaked at 61.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 1942.
Jamaica ranks 85th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 78 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 37.6% | — |
| 1930 | 32.8% | -12.7% |
| 1931 | 27.6% | -15.8% |
| 1932 | 28.4% | +3.0% |
| 1933 | 26.6% | -6.4% |
| 1934 | 29.6% | +11.2% |
| 1935 | 30.0% | +1.3% |
| 1936 | 30.0% | +0.1% |
| 1937 | 32.8% | +9.3% |
| 1938 | 32.8% | -0.1% |
| 1942 | 16.4% | -50.0% |
| 1943 | 17.8% | +8.6% |
| 1946 | 19.5% | +9.3% |
| 1950 | 27.7% | +42.5% |
| 1951 | 32.8% | +18.4% |
| 1952 | 34.4% | +4.7% |
| 1953 | 29.7% | -13.7% |
| 1954 | 28.7% | -3.2% |
| 1955 | 30.9% | +7.7% |
| 1956 | 33.7% | +9.0% |
| 1957 | 31.9% | -5.3% |
| 1958 | 30.0% | -6.0% |
| 1959 | 31.3% | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 30.9% | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 28.1% | -9.0% |
| 1962 | 28.7% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 27.3% | -4.9% |
| 1964 | 31.4% | +15.1% |
| 1965 | 30.3% | -3.3% |
| 1966 | 29.3% | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 30.3% | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 35.3% | +16.4% |
| 1969 | 37.1% | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 37.4% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 36.1% | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 32.6% | -9.9% |
| 1973 | 34.9% | +7.0% |
| 1974 | 39.4% | +13.0% |
| 1975 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 31.5% | -19.9% |
| 1977 | 26.5% | -15.6% |
| 1978 | 37.2% | +40.3% |
| 1979 | 41.3% | +11.0% |
| 1980 | 44.0% | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 49.4% | +12.4% |
| 1982 | 41.9% | -15.2% |
| 1983 | 35.4% | -15.6% |
| 1984 | 49.9% | +40.9% |
| 1985 | 54.5% | +9.2% |
| 1986 | 35.2% | -35.4% |
| 1987 | 38.8% | +10.2% |
| 1988 | 39.6% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 42.8% | +8.1% |
| 1990 | 41.0% | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 44.2% | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 52.5% | +19.0% |
| 1993 | 45.3% | -13.7% |
| 1994 | 44.5% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 50.0% | +12.3% |
| 1996 | 45.0% | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 41.2% | -8.4% |
| 1998 | 34.3% | -16.7% |
| 1999 | 33.6% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 37.0% | +10.3% |
| 2001 | 37.4% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 36.8% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 39.1% | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 38.9% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 44.6% | +14.4% |
| 2006 | 48.3% | +8.4% |
| 2007 | 49.7% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 61.4% | +23.6% |
| 2009 | 42.3% | -31.1% |
| 2010 | 39.6% | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 44.2% | +11.6% |
| 2012 | 42.7% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 43.0% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 41.8% | -2.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 41.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 100% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 41.8% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 41.0%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 37.6% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 30.1% | 26.6% | 32.8% | 9 |
| 1940s | 17.9% | 16.4% | 19.5% | 3 |
| 1950s | 31.1% | 27.7% | 34.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 30.9% | 27.3% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.6% | 26.5% | 41.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.1% | 35.2% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.2% | 33.6% | 52.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.5% | 36.8% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.3% | 39.6% | 44.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 82 Mauritius 42.8% compare
- 83 El Salvador 42.0% compare
- 84 Brunei 41.9% compare
- 86 Poland 41.8% compare
- 87 Faroe Islands 41.7% compare
- 88 Guinea-Bissau 41.5% compare
More economy & growth data for Jamaica
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.76 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1.07 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.3763 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 305.08 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -38.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0139 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 107.45 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Jamaica?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Jamaica was 41.8% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 61.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 1942.
- How does Jamaica rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Jamaica ranks 85th out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.