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From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Barbados

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Map

Location: 13 10 N, 59 32 W -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

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Flag

Description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

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Geography

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area: 430 sq km
land area: 430 sq km
comparative area: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 77%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 9%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 14%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
natural hazards: hurricanes (especially June to October); periodic landslides
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes
Geographic note: easternmost Caribbean island

People

Population: 257,030 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 31,263; female 29,822)
15-64 years: 66% (male 83,565; female 86,697)
65 years and over: 10% (male 9,929; female 15,754) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.26% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 15.29 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 8.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.35 years
male: 71.65 years
female: 77.25 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Barbadian(s)
adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: African 80%, European 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados
Data code: BB
Type of government: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
note: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Acting Governor General Denys WILLIAMS (since 21 December 1995) who was appointed by the queen
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994) was appointed by the governor general; Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general
House of Assembly: election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) BLP 19, DLP 8,NDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP), David THOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National Democratic Party (NDP), Richard HAYNES
Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, Leroy TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David COMMISSIONG
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE
embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (809) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (809) 429-5246
Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy

Economic overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy has been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Sluggish performances in the sugar and tourism sectors - which declined by 25% and 8% respectively - tempered economic expansion in 1995; output increased by 2% for the year, down from nearly 4% in 1994. Improved weather conditions in 1995 are expected to boost agriculture output in 1996. Since taking office in 1994, Prime Minister ARTHUR has aggressively moved to promote foreign direct investment as part of a policy designed to reduce nagging unemployment. The government has also been active in promoting regional integration initiatives.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $9,800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.4%
industry: 39.3%
services: 54.3% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 126,000 (1993)
by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: 19.9% (September 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $550 million
expenditures: $710 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 152,100 kW
production: 510 million kWh
consumption per capita: 1,841 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Exports: $158.6 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
partners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Imports: $693 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%
External debt: $408 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 1,550 km
paved: 1,550 km
Ports: Bridgetown
Merchant marine:
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 183,937 GRT/271,707 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 21, combination bulk 3, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 1
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 87,343 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: island wide automatic telephone system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay)
Televisions: 69,350 (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 71,667
males fit for military service: 49,726 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

Barbados

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).