Jamaica Tax Revenue to GDP

Central government tax revenue as a percentage of GDP.

Tax Revenue to GDP in Jamaica decreased to 23.67 percent of GDP in 2020 from 25.53 percent of GDP in 2019.

23.7%
▼ −1.9 pp2020 · previous 25.5%Annual · percent of GDP · Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

Jamaica Tax Revenue to GDP — History

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Jamaica Tax Revenue to GDP — analysis in simple words

Latest reading

Tax Revenue to GDP in Jamaica decreased to 23.67 percent of GDP in 2020 from 25.53 percent of GDP in 2019.

Over the last three years it rose twice and fell once.

Recent trend

A year earlier (2019) it was 25.5%, so the latest figure is 1.9 percentage points lower.

Over the past five years the average was 24.7%, with a range from 23.7% to 25.5%. The latest value is below that five-year average.

Historical context

This data series starts in 1988 and has 33 annual observations. The latest reading is higher than 52% of all of them.

The highest value on record is 25.5% (2019) and the lowest is 19.9% (1997). The long-run average is 23.3%.

Compared with other countries

Among 142 economies with recent data, Jamaica ranks 23rd from the top. The median across all these economies is 17.0%, so Jamaica is above the typical country.

Within Latin America & Caribbean (20 economies with data) it ranks 1st; the regional median is 15.1%.

Statistics

Latest
23.7%2020
Previous
25.5%
5-year average
24.7%
Long-run average
23.3%since 1988
All-time high
25.5%2019
All-time low
19.9%1997
Observations
33Annual

Recent Data

PeriodValueChange
202023.7%▼ −1.9 pp
201925.5%▲ +0.5 pp
201825.0%▲ +0.4 pp
201724.6%▲ +0.0 pp
201624.6%▲ +1.1 pp
201523.5%▼ −0.5 pp
201424.1%▲ +0.0 pp
201324.0%▼ −0.3 pp
201224.3%▲ +1.0 pp
201123.4%▼ −0.9 pp
201024.3%▼ −0.7 pp
200925.0%▲ +0.3 pp
200824.7%▼ −0.1 pp
200724.8%▲ +0.8 pp
200624.0%▲ +0.8 pp
200523.2%▼ −1.0 pp
200424.2%▲ +0.1 pp
200324.1%▲ +2.2 pp
200221.9%▲ +0.4 pp
200121.4%▼ −1.1 pp
200022.5%▲ +0.6 pp
199921.9%▲ +1.0 pp
199820.9%▲ +0.9 pp
199719.9%▼ −0.2 pp
199620.1%▼ −1.6 pp
199521.7%▲ +0.6 pp
199421.1%▼ −0.2 pp
199321.3%▼ −2.1 pp
199223.5%▲ +0.4 pp
199123.1%

Tax Revenue to GDP — Jamaica vs Peers

Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). Jamaica highlighted.

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More Jamaica indicators

Understanding Tax Revenue to GDP — a simple guide

What it measures

Central government tax revenue as a percentage of GDP.

How it is calculated

Central government tax collections ÷ GDP × 100.

Simple example

12% means central taxes equal 12% of GDP.

▲ When it is high or rising

Strong tax collection capacity.

▼ When it is low or falling

Weaker collection or a large informal economy.

Why it matters for the economy and markets

The tax-to-GDP ratio indicates fiscal capacity and the efficiency of tax collection.

How to read it

It excludes state/local taxes in federal countries, so it can understate total taxation.

Data source

World Bank — World Development Indicators (series GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), annual data from 1988 to 2020. Values are shown exactly as published by the source and may be revised later.

How to use the chart

Use the 5Y / 10Y / 25Y / Max buttons to change the time range, or drag the slider under the chart. Hover (or tap) on the line to see the exact value for any period. Dashed lines and hatched bars are IMF projections, not actual data. The “Download CSV” button gives you the full data series.

Frequently asked questions

What is the current tax revenue to gdp of Jamaica?
Jamaica tax revenue to gdp was 23.7% in 2020, compared with 25.5% in the previous period, according to World Bank — World Development Indicators.
What is the highest and lowest tax revenue to gdp of Jamaica?
Since 1988, the highest reading was 25.5% (2019) and the lowest was 19.9% (1997).
What does tax revenue to gdp measure?
Central government tax revenue as a percentage of GDP.

Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.