Barbados

parliamentary democracyIndependence 30 November 1966 (from UK)

Barbados as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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
Locationin the extreme eastern Caribbean Sea, about 375 km northeast of Venezuela
1993

Every edition of Barbados

Populationas each edition published it
255,338 people July 1993 est. · 262,688 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.18% 1993 est. · -0.42% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
73.49 years 1993 est. · 79 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.77 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
21.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 16 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,000 1991 · $19,900 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
-4% 1991 · 3.8% in 2025

Geography

In the extreme eastern Caribbean Sea, about 375 km northeast of Venezuela

14 fields

Land useshare of 430 km2

arable land 77%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 9%forest and woodland 0%other 14%
Area
430km2
land area: 430 km2comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
97km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the extreme eastern Caribbean Sea, about 375 km northeast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Natural resources

petroleum, fishing, natural gas

Environment

subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)

Note

easternmost Caribbean island

People

14 fields
Population
255,338
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.18% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
15.78Death
8.53Net migration
-5.49

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.49
70.75 · 76.46
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%
99% · 99%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

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

Infant mortality rate

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.77 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Barbadian(s)
adjective:
Barbadian

Languages

English

Government

Parliamentary democracy

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Barbados

Type

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 new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status

Independence

30 November 1966 (from UK)

Constitution

30 November 1966

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature

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)

Member of

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 in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Rudi WEBSTER
chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 939-9200 through 9202
consulate general:
New York
consulate:
Los Angeles

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador G. Philip HUGHES
embassy:
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown
mailing address:
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

18 fields
Real growth rate
-4%
(1991)industrial production growth: growth rate -1.3% (1991); accounts for 10% of GDP

Budget

Revenues
$547 millionExpenditures
$620 million
expenditures (FY92-93), including capital expenditures of $60 million

Overview

A per capita income of $7,000 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.8 billion ( 1991)

Exports

$205.8 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
sugar and molasses, chemicals, electrical components, clothing, rum, machinery and transport equipment
partners:
CARICOM 31%, US 16%, UK 13%

Imports

$697 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:
foodstuffs, consumer durables, raw materials, machinery, crude oil, construction materials, chemicals
partners:
US 34%, CARICOM 16%, UK 11%, Canada 6%

External debt

$750 million (1991 est.)

Electricity

152,100 kW capacity; 540 million kWh produced, 2,118 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export, petroleum

Agriculture

  • accounts for 8% of GDP;
  • major cash crop is sugarcane;
  • other crops - vegetables, cotton;
  • not self-sufficient in food

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $171 million

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

Communications

5 fields

Merchant marine, 3 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 1oil tanker 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,710 GRT79,263 DWT

Highways

1,570 km total; 1,475 km paved, 95 km gravel and earth

Ports

Bridgetown

Airports

total:
1
usable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0

Telecommunications

  • islandwide automatic telephone system with 89,000 telephones;
  • tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia;
  • broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 2 (1 is pay) TV;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Royal Barbados Defense Force, including the Ground Forces and Coast Guard, | Royal Barbados Police Force

4 fields

Branches

Royal Barbados Defense Force, including the Ground Forces and Coast Guard, Royal Barbados Police Force

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 70,254;
  • fit for military service 49,096 (1993 est.);
  • no conscription

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $10 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989)

Affiliation

(possession of France)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Barbados.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/barbados/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →