Barbados
parliamentary democracyIndependence 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Barbados as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the | North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
18 fieldsLand useshare of 430 sq km
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- Biodiversity
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 23% (male 30,132; female 29,359)
- 15-64 years:
- 67% (male 85,437; female 88,131)
- 65 years and over:
- 10% (male 9,862; female 16,270) (1999 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.61 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996); Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994)
19 fieldsLegislature, 28 seatsone dot, one seat
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
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 monarch;
- governor general appointed by the monarch;
- prime minister appointed by the governor general
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 Service)
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, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN
- chancery:
- 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- consulate(s) general:
- Coral Gables (Florida), Miami, and New York
- consulate(s):
- Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador E. William CROTTY
- embassy:
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown
- mailing address:
- P.O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
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
Historically, the Barbadian economy had been | dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but | production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and | tourism.
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1996)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-98.
Offshore finance and informatics are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
Exports--commodities
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Imports--commodities
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
- domestic:
- island wide automatic telephone system
- international:
- satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 44 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 641,550 GRT/1,087,042 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground | Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
5 fieldsMilitary branches
Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Barbados.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/barbados/1999.