Barbados

parliamentary democracyIndependence 30 November 1966 (from UK)

Barbados as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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 sq km

LocationCaribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North

Populationas each edition published it

256,395 people July 1995 est. · 262,688 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.24% 1995 est. · 0.18% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.16 years 1995 est. · 73.49 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.78 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

19.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 16 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,200 1994 est. · $7,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1994 est. · -4% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North | Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

14 fields

Land useshare of 430 sq km

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

Area

430sq km

land area: 430 sq kmcomparative 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

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

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; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

People

15 fields

Population

256,395

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.24% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

15.45Death

8.27Net migration

-4.82

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.16

71.47 · 77.06

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%

99% · 99%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)

Ethnic divisions

African 80%European 4%other 16%

Religions(1980)

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

Labor force

124,800

(1992)

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.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 24% (female 30,175; male 31,507)
15-64 years:: 66% (female 86,103; male 82,727)
65 years and over:: 10% (female 15,849; male 10,034) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Barbadian(s)
adjective:: Barbadian

Languages

English

Government

Parliamentary democracy; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990); Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994)

23 fields

Legislature, 28 seatsone dot, one seat

DLP 8BLP 19NDP 1

Names

conventional long form:: none
conventional short form:: Barbados

Digraph

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)

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 Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990)
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 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) DLP 8, BLP 19, NDP 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature

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

Member of

ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Courtney 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), 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

A per capita income of $9,200 gives Barbados one of the | highest standards of living of all the small island states of the | eastern Caribbean.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$9,200

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 2% (FY93/94 est.); accounts for about 10% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

20.5%

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$509 millionExpenditures

$636 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY94/95 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 152,100 kW

Electricity production

510 millionElectricity consumption per capita

1,841 (1993)

Overview

A per capita income of $9,200 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.

A moderate recovery that began in late 1993 after 3 years of contraction is mainly due to increased tourism and expansion in the construction sector. Economic prospects for 1995 depend mostly on continued growth in the industrialized countries, especially in Europe, which would spur further expansion in tourism.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$161 million (f.o.b., 1993 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

$703 million (c.i.f., 1993 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

$652 million (1991 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Agriculture

accounts for 6% of GDP;
major cash crop is sugarcane;
other crops - vegetables, cotton;
not self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

Economic aid

recipient: 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

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 1 in all

over 3,047 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

1,570Railroads

Highways: paved: 1,475 km · unpaved: gravel, earth 95 km

Highways

total:: 1,570 km
paved:: 1,475 km
unpaved:: gravel, earth 95 km

Ports

Bridgetown

Merchant marine

total:: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,563 GRT/103,632 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 4, cargo 6, oil tanker 2

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

89,000 telephones

local:: island wide automatic telephone system;
intercity:: NA
international:: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 2 (1 pay)
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes the Ground Forces and | Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

3 fields

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Geography

People

Government

Economy

Transportation

Communications

Defense Forces

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