1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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, Desertification, 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 23% (male 30,592; female 29,747) 15-64 years: 67% (male 84,725; female 87,730) 65 years and over: 10% (male 9,926; female 16,305) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
14.92 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
8.21 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
black 80%, white 4%, other 16%
Infant mortality rate
17.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.79 years male: 72.03 years female: 77.62 years (1998 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
-5.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
259,025 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
0.09% (1998 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: 1.02 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 (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.85 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
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
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] (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 Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 consulate(s) general: Coral Gables and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission Donald K. HOLM 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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service 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]
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)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Budget
revenues: $600 million expenditures: $645 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (FY96/97 est.)
Currency
1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Debt-external
$359 million (December 1996)
Economic aid
$NA
Economy-overview
Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-97. The government continues its efforts to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
Electricity-capacity
140,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
2,145 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
591.5 million kWh (1996)
Exchange rates
Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1-2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
Exports
total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing partners: US 15%, UK 15%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$2.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 7% industry: 17% services: 76% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$10,900 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
3% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $763 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 37%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, UK 10%, Japan 7%
Industrial production growth rate
0.8% (1996)
Industries
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Inflation rate-consumer price index
2.4% (1996)
Labor force
total: 68,900 (1996) by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
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.)
Unemployment rate
16.2% (1996)
Transportation
Airports
1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 1,640 km paved: 1,573 km unpaved: 67 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Bridgetown
Merchant marine
total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 869,363 GRT/1,365,640 DWT ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 30, container 1, combination bulk 4, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Canada owns 2 ships, Hong Kong 1 (1997 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
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: 71,891 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 49,562 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none
Illicit drugs
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe (possession of France)