MigrantoJamaican Diaspora
1.2M Jamaicans live abroad — 44% of the population of Jamaica
Jamaican diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 96% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 910748 |
| United Kingdom | 146646 |
| Canada | 144301 |
| Cayman Islands | 12602 |
| Bahamas | 8510 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 4328 |
| Sint Maarten | 2609 |
| British Virgin Islands | 2436 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2390 |
| Curaçao | 2120 |
| Bermuda | 1694 |
| Australia | 1335 |
| Panama | 1266 |
| Aruba | 1142 |
| Barbados | 1013 |
| Belize | 621 |
| China | 572 |
| Anguilla | 500 |
| Mexico | 381 |
| US Virgin Islands | 372 |
| Saint Lucia | 361 |
| Costa Rica | 314 |
| Guyana | 302 |
| Chile | 222 |
| Norway | 203 |
| Denmark | 183 |
| Brazil | 176 |
| Dominican Republic | 148 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 148 |
| Dominica | 132 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 127 |
| Grenada | 119 |
| Finland | 101 |
| Venezuela | 85 |
| Hungary | 38 |
| Luxembourg | 35 |
| Iceland | 32 |
| Portugal | 31 |
| Cuba | 27 |
| Honduras | 27 |
| Nicaragua | 20 |
| Slovakia | 16 |
| Puerto Rico | 16 |
| Cyprus | 14 |
| Greece | 11 |
| El Salvador | 10 |
| Bolivia | 8 |
| Bulgaria | 7 |
| Slovenia | 7 |
| Estonia | 3 |
| Latvia | 2 |
| Liechtenstein | 1 |
| Lithuania | 0 |
By region
85% of the diaspora lives in North America
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Key facts
The Jamaican diaspora in numbers
Most Jamaicans abroad live in the USA
73% of the diaspora lives in the USA, while the next country accounts for just 12%.
1 in 2 people born in Jamaica lives abroad
1.2M people born in Jamaica now live in other countries — 44.0% of a population of 2.8M.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 57% to 73%, and today that country is USA.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Aruba, China, Mexico. Aruba climbed from outside the top 20 to #14.
The share of the diaspora living in Europe has declined since 1990
23.3% of the diaspora lived in Europe in 1990, compared with 11.8% today.
Jamaican diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 611422 |
| 1995 | 811937 |
| 2000 | 833377 |
| 2005 | 895828 |
| 2010 | 1005109 |
| 2015 | 1084528 |
| 2020 | 1175941 |
| 2024 | 1248512 |
Largest communities over time
Jamaicans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | USA | United Kingdom | Canada | Cayman Islands | Bahamas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 350867 | 142246 | 100377 | 3767 | 2792 |
| 1995 | 532040 | 144149 | 114487 | 4987 | 3282 |
| 2000 | 541069 | 146062 | 119493 | 7468 | 3773 |
| 2005 | 591724 | 152301 | 123052 | 8110 | 5349 |
| 2010 | 681674 | 159856 | 128171 | 9472 | 6925 |
| 2015 | 748216 | 156146 | 141703 | 10354 | 7503 |
| 2020 | 837746 | 150892 | 145144 | 11540 | 8042 |
| 2024 | 910748 | 146646 | 144301 | 12602 | 8510 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Jamaicans in each country has changed since the selected year
Jamaicans among immigrants in other countries
Where Jamaicans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Jamaicans live outside Jamaica?
Around 1.2M Jamaicans live abroad, the world's #59 largest diaspora.
Where do most Jamaicans abroad live?
Most Jamaicans live in USA, United Kingdom and Canada — these three countries account for about 96% of all Jamaicans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Jamaican population outside Jamaica?
USA is home to the largest Jamaican community abroad — 910.7K people, about 73% of all Jamaicans living abroad.
What share of the population of Jamaica lives abroad?
About 44% of the population of Jamaica lives abroad — that's 1.2M out of a total population of 2.8M.
Is the Jamaican diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Jamaicans living abroad has grown from 1.1M to 1.2M, about 15%.
Where does the data on the Jamaican diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Jamaica who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Jamaica
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