Formerly a British colony, Jamaica became independent on 6 August 1962 and remained within the Commonwealth.
On the basis of the Constitution, the head of state is the sovereign of the United Kingdom, represented by a Governor General, who formally appoints the head of the majority party as Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is responsible before Parliament which comprises the Chamber of Representatives (63 members elected for five-year terms) and the Senate (21 members appointed by the Governor: 13 attributed to the majority party and 8 to the opposition).
The judicial system is based on British Common Law.

Population by age and gender (% - 2020)
	75+ 60-74 45-59 30-44 15-29 0-14
MALE	AGE	FEMALE

Emigration towards the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada is significant.

In 2021, the country came out of the recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the crisis., the growth rate, usually low, was on the rise, while unemployment and underemployment, factors which encourage widespread crime associated with drug-trafficking, were gradually decreasing. Economic reforms have allowed to keep inflation and deficit under control; the IMF, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank have granted substantial loans to implement reform (in terms of revenue and structure that could support growth) and to reduce debt. Sugar cane, providing a fine rum as well as sugar, is the most important agricultural activity. A typical crop is pimiento (pepper).
Jamaica is one of the world’s main producers of bauxite (deposits in Ocho Rios, Kirkvine, Nain and Ewarton, where there are plants for the production of aluminium). An oil refinery and several chemical factories have headquarters in Kingston. Other industries include textiles (at Ariguanabo), tobacco, paper, cement (Rockfort) and food processing. Notwithstanding problems connected to the lack of personal safety, the tourist industry is still a source of foreign currency, as are money transfers from emigrants.