Barbados

parliamentary democracyIndependence 30 November 1966 (from UK)

Barbados as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBridgetown

Area430 km2

Populationas each edition published it

254,934 people July 1992 · 262,688 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.18% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 73.49 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.8 children per woman 1992 · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 16 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $7,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -4% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

430km2

Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

97km

land boundaries: noneExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Land use

arable land 77%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 9%;
forest and woodland 0%;
other 14%

Environment

subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)

People

14 fields

Population

254,934

(July 1992), growth rate 0.1% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

16Death

Ethnic divisions

African 80%mixed 16%European 4%

Religions(1980)

Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%)Roman Catholic 4%none 17%unknown 3%other 9% (1980)

Literacy

99%

(male 99%, female 99%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

Nationality

noun - Barbadian(s); adjective - Barbadian

Labor force

120,900 (1991);
services and government 37%;
commerce 22%;
manufacturing and construction 22%;
transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 9%;
agriculture 8%;
utilities 2% (1985 est.)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

19 fields

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 - there may be a new city of Bridgetown

Legal system

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Leaders

Chief of State:: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Lloyd Erskine SANDIFORD (since 2 June 1987)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Erskine SANDIFORD;
Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Henry FORDE;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Richie HAYNES

Elections

House of Assembly:: last held 22 January 1991 (next to be held by January 1996);
results - DLP 49.8%;
seats - (28 total) DLP 18, BLP 10

Other political or pressure groups

Industrial and General Workers Union, Sir Frank WALCOTT;
People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY;
Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE

ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Dr. Rudi WEBSTER;
Chancery at 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
telephone (202) 939-9200 through 9202;
there is a Barbadian Consulate General in New York and a Consulate in Los Angeles

US:: Ambassador G. Philip HUGHES;
Embassy at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown (mailing address is P. O. Box 302, Box B, FPO AA 34054);
telephone (809) 436-4950 through 4957;
FAX (809) 429-5246

Flag

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, 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

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.4%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

18%

(1991)

External debt

$539.9million

(1990)

Budget

Revenues

$514 millionExpenditures

$615 million

expenditures (FY91-92)

Overview

A per capita income of $6,500 gives Barbados one of the highest standards of living of all the small island states of the eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism.

The tourist industry is now a major employer of the labor force and a primary source of foreign exchange. The economy slowed in 1990-91, however, and Bridgetown's declining hard currency reserves and inability to finance its deficits have caused it to adopt an austere economic reform program.

GDP

purchasing power equivalent - $1.7 billion, per capita $6,500; real growth rate--3.1% (1990)

Exports

$210.6 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: sugar and molasses, chemicals, electrical components, clothing, rum, machinery and transport equipment
partners:: CARICOM 30%, US 20%, UK 20%

Imports

$704 million (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: foodstuffs, consumer durables, raw materials, machinery, crude oil, construction materials, chemicals
partners:: US 35%, CARICOM 13%, UK 12%, Japan 6%, Canada 8%, Venezuela 4%