Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Jamaica
Jamaica: Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS was 17.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
17.9%
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
35th
of 197 countries
All-time high
21.8%
in 2014
All-time low
11.7%
in 2004
Years of data
22
2000–2024
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Jamaica, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 17.9% for proportion of total government spending on essential services in 2024.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and down 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Jamaica peaked at 21.8% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 2004.
Jamaica ranks 35th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.8% | — |
| 2001 | 20.0% | +19.0% |
| 2002 | 18.4% | -8.1% |
| 2003 | 13.4% | -27.2% |
| 2004 | 11.7% | -12.2% |
| 2005 | 14.3% | +21.6% |
| 2007 | 17.2% | +20.3% |
| 2008 | 19.1% | +11.3% |
| 2009 | 17.6% | -8.2% |
| 2010 | 16.1% | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | +15.4% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 20.6% | +9.4% |
| 2014 | 21.8% | +5.9% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 18.4% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 17.9% | +5.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 17.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 13.2%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 17.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.4%, 1.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.5% | 11.7% | 20.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 16.1% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 16.9% | 17.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 32 Benin 18.0% compare
- 33 Madagascar 18.0% compare
- 34 Zimbabwe 17.9% compare
- 36 Mali 17.8% compare
- 37 Côte d'Ivoire 17.6% compare
- 37 Cote d'Ivoire 17.6% compare
More education data for Jamaica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 11,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,597 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,983 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51,265 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 177,095 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 211,097 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 8.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Jamaica?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Jamaica was 17.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 21.8% in 2014.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 2004.
- How does Jamaica rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- Jamaica ranks 35th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).