1997 Edition

Area

total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline

97 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Geographic coordinates

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geography - note

easternmost Caribbean island

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland : 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Natural hazards

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 31,025; female 30,197) 15-64 years: 66% (male 83,977; female 87,208) 65 years and over : 10% (male 10,002; female 16,347) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

15.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 80%, white 4%, other 16%

Infant mortality rate

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.6 years male : 71.84 years female: 77.43 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian

Net migration rate

-5.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

258,756 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

0.12% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

Constitution

30 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form : none conventional short form: Barbados

Data code

BB

Diplomatic representation from the US

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] (246) 436-4950

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general

FAX

[1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles

[1] (246) 429-5246

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)

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

30 November 1966 (from UK)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service

Legal system

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

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 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1

National capital

Bridgetown

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget

revenues: $550 million expenditures: $710 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY95/96 est.)

Currency

1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$359 million (December 1996)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy - overview

Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production 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. The industry generated $331.8 million by the end of June and was expected to double by the end of the year. Prime Minister Owen ARTHUR called for "prudent" financial management to ensure that economic growth would continue. As part of his plan, the Prime Minister introduced a controversial Value Added Tax (VAT) in an effort to reform the tax administration process. The VAT will be administered at 15% for most industries and 7% for the tourism industry. The government has also continued its efforts to promote regional integration initiatives, to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, and to encourage direct foreign investment.

Electricity - capacity

153,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,208 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

644 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)

Exports

total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1995) 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%

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.65 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6.4% industry: 39.3% services: 54.3% (1994)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $10,300 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $763 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%

Industrial production growth rate

7.7% (1995)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate - consumer price index

1.8% (1995)

Labor force

total: 126,000 (1993) 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.)

Unemployment rate

16.2% (1996)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: island wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Telephones

87,343 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1 pay)

Televisions

69,350 (1993 est.)

Airports

1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 1,610 km paved : 1,542 km unpaved: 68 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 453,828 GRT/684,470 DWT ships by type : bulk 16, cargo 27, combination bulk 4, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bridgetown

Railways

0 km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 71,547 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 49,446 (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe ______________________________________________________________________ BASSAS DA INDIA (possession of France)