 |
|
| Geography |
| Easternmost
Caribbean island. |
| Location: |
Caribbean, island
in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
Venezuela |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
13 10 N, 59 32 W |
| Area: |
total: 431 sq km
land: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: 2.5 times the
size of Washington, DC
|
| Land
Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
97 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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% (2005) |
| Irrigated
land: |
50 sq km (2003) |
| Natural
hazards: |
infrequent
hurricanes; periodic landslides |
| Current
Environment Issues: |
pollution of
coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal
threatens contamination of aquifers |
| International
Environment Agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| ^Back
to Top |
| People |
| Population: |
284,589 (July 2009
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 19.2%
(male 27,383/female 27,352)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 99,829/female 103,049)
65 years and over: 9.5% (male 10,464/female
16,512) (2009 est.) |
| Median
age: |
total: 35.8 years
male: 34.7 years
female: 36.9 years (2008 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.383% (2009 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
12.48 births/1,000
population (2008 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
8.58 deaths/1,000
population (2008 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2009 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.01
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total: 12.29
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009
est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
73.94 years
male: 71.65 years
female: 76.26 years (2009 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.68 children born/woman
(2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
1.2% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
2,200 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
fewer than 100
(2007 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 63.4% (Anglican
28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other
11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%,
other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008
est.) |
| Languages: |
English |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15
and over has ever attended school
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2002 est.) |
| ^Back
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| Government |
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: none
conventional short form: Barbados |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
democracy |
| Capital: |
name: Bridgetown
geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative
divisions: |
11 parishes and 1
city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew,
Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint
Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter,
Saint Philip, Saint Thomas |
| 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; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| 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 David
THOMPSON (since 16 January 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: 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 seats;
members appointed by the governor general - 12
on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the
advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his
discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 15
January 2008 (next to be called in 2013)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of
vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by
party - DLP 20, BLP 10 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court of
Judicature consists of a High Court and a Court
of Appeal (judges are appointed by the Service
Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services);
Caribbean Court of Justice or CCJ is the highest
court of appeal; based in Port of Spain,
Trinidad and Tobago |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Barbados Labor
Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]; Democratic Labor
Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's
Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Barbados Secondary
Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST];
Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert
GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions and Staff
Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes
the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN];
Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN];
Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG];
National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD] |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom,
CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John BEALE
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN
embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park,
Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB
11000; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (246) 227-4399
FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179 |
| ^Back
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| Economy |
| Historically,
the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane
cultivation and related activities. However, in
recent years the economy has diversified into
light industry and tourism, with about
three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being
attributed to services. Growth has rebounded
since 2003, bolstered by increases in
construction projects and tourism revenues,
reflecting its success in the higher-end segment,
but the sector will likely face declining
revenues with the global economic downturn. The
country enjoys one of the highest per capita
incomes in the region. Offshore finance and
information services are important foreign
exchange earners and thrive from having the same
time zone as eastern US financial centers and a
relatively highly educated workforce. The
government continues its efforts to reduce
unemployment, to encourage direct foreign
investment, and to privatize remaining
state-owned enterprises. The public debt-to-GDP
ratio of about 80% will likely widen as the
THOMPSON administration engages in a more
expansionary fiscal policy. |
| GDP
(purchasing power parity): |
$5.466 billion
(2008 est.) $5.386 billion (2007) $5.214 billion
(2006) |
| GDP
(official exchange rate): |
$3.777 billion
(2008 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
1.5% (2008 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita (PPP): |
$19,300 (2008
est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 16%
services: 78% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
128,500 (2001
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 15%
services: 75% (1996 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10.7% (2003 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
5.5% (2007 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $847
million (including grants)
expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sugarcane,
vegetables, cotton |
| Industries: |
tourism, sugar,
light manufacturing, component assembly for
export |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
-3.2% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
1.003 billion kWh
(2007 est.) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
939.9 million kWh
(2007 est.) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil
- production: |
1,111 bbl/day
(2007 est.) |
| Oil
- consumption: |
8,674 bbl/day
(2006 est.) |
| Oil
- exports: |
1,750 bbl/day
(2005) |
| Oil
- imports: |
10,710 bbl/day
(2005) |
| Oil
- proved reserves: |
2.2 million bbl (1
January 2008 est.) |
| Natural
gas - production: |
29.17 million cu m
(2006 est.) |
| Natural
gas - consumption: |
29.17 million cu m
(2006 est.) |
| Natural
gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural
gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural
gas - proved reserves: |
141.6 million cu m
(1 January 2008 est.) |
| Current
account balance: |
-$254 million
(2007 est.) |
| Exports: |
$385 million
(2006) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
manufactures,
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and
beverages, chemicals, electrical components |
| Exports
- partners: |
Trinidad and
Tobago 15.5%, Jamaica 13.5%, UK 9.4%, US 9.3%,
Brazil 8.3%, Saint Lucia 7.2%, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 4.5% (2007) |
| Imports: |
$1.586 billion
(2006) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
consumer goods,
machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,
chemicals, fuel, electrical components |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 30.5%, Trinidad
and Tobago 27.6%, UK 6.5% (2007) |
| Reserves
of foreign exchange and gold: |
$620 million
(2007) |
| Debt
- external: |
$668 million
(2003) |
| Market
value of publicly traded shares: |
$5.599 billion (31
December 2007) |
| Currency
(code): |
Barbadian dollar
(BBD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Barbadian dollars
(BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2
(2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
| ^Back
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| Communications |
| Telephones
in use: |
134,900 (2005) |
| Cellular
Phones in use: |
237,100 (2006) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100
persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of
about 85 per 100 persons
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; landing
point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS)
submarine cable with links to 13 other islands
in the eastern Caribbean extending from the
British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite
earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean);
tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
(2007) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 6,
shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (plus 2 cable
channels) (2004) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bb |
| Internet
hosts: |
104 (2008) |
| Internet
users: |
160,000 (2005) |
| ^Back
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| Transportation |
| Airports: |
1 (2007) |
| Airports
(paved runways): |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
| Roadways: |
total: 1,600 km
paved: 1,600 km (2004) |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 85
by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 50, chemical
tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 80 (Canada 9, Greece 12, India 1,
Iran 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 38, Sweden 7, Syria 1,
UK 9)
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines 1) (2008) |
| Ports
and terminals: |
Bridgetown |
| ^Back
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| Military |
| The
Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a
land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard;
the primary role of the land element is to
defend the island against external aggression;
the Command consists of a single, part-time
battalion with a small regular cadre that is
deployed throughout the island; it increasingly
supports the police in patrolling the coastline
to prevent smuggling and other illicit
activities (2007) |
| Military
branches: |
Royal Barbados
Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast
Guard (2007) |
| Military
service age and obligation: |
18 years of age
for voluntary military service (younger requires
parental consent); no conscription (2008) |
| Manpower
available for military service: |
males age 16-49:
75,265
females age 16-49: 75,389 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower
fit for military service: |
males age 16-49:
58,596
females age 16-49: 58,866 (2009 est.) |