Barbados. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Barbados | 
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| Introduction | Barbados |
| Background: |
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. |
| Geography | Barbados |
| 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: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 431 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
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 |
| Climate: |
tropical; rainy season (June to October) |
| Terrain: |
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m |
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum, fish, natural gas |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 37.21%
permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
10 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides |
| Environment
- current issues: |
pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity |
| Geography
- note: |
easternmost Caribbean island |
| People | Barbados |
| Population: |
276,607 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 21.4%
(male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.46% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
73.49 years female: 76.12 years (2002 est.) male: 70.9 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.64 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
1.17% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,800 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
130 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Barbadian(s)
or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) |
| Ethnic
groups: |
black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% |
| Religions: |
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% |
| Languages: |
English |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15
and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.) |
| Government | Barbados |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Barbados |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth |
| 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), represented by Governor General
Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists
of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the
House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote
to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE] |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael Ian KING consulate(s): Los Angeles consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Earl N. PHILLIPS, Jr. embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246 |
| 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) |
| Economy | Barbados |
| Economy
- overview: |
Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
-2% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.5% (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
128,500 (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10% (2001 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $847 million
(including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
-3.2% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
740 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
688.2 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton |
| Exports: |
$272 million (2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing |
| Exports
- partners: |
Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000) |
| Imports: |
$1.16 billion (2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%, Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000) |
| Debt
- external: |
$425 million |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$9.1 million (1995) |
| Currency: |
Barbadian dollar (BBD) |
| Currency
code: |
BBD |
| Exchange
rates: |
Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
| Communications | Barbados |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
108,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
8,013 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
237,000 (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
76,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bb |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
19 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
6,000 (2000) |
| Transportation | Barbados |
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 1,650 km paved: 1,628 km unpaved: 22 km (1998) |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 41 ships (1,000
GRT or over) totaling 629,987 GRT/1,073,991 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bahamas, The 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, United Kingdom 18 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, combination bulk 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 4 |
| Airports: |
1 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
| Military | Barbados |
| Military
branches: |
Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49: 78,132 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 53,532 (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$NA |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA% |
| Transnational Issues | Barbados |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
| Illicit
drugs: |
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
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