2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Geography
Area
total: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 431 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island
Geographic coordinates
13 10 N, 59 32 W
Irrigated land
10 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 37% permanent crops: 2% other: 61% (1998 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: 21.4% (male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marcia BERNICHT embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown mailing P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone:
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING consulate(s): Los Angeles consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Ethnic groups
black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
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)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.17% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
130 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,800 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
International organization participation
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
76.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Nationality
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Net migration rate
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
276,607 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
0.46% (2002 est.)
Religions
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 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
Capital
Bridgetown
Constitution
30 November 1966
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
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; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Government type
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Independence
30 November 1966 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
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: 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Political parties and leaders
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde MASCOLL]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG];
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Budget
revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Currency
Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code
BBD
Debt - external
$425 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$9.1 million (1995)
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. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year.
Electricity - consumption
688.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
740 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Exports
$272 million (2000)
Exports - commodities
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports - partners
Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-2% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.16 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners
US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%, Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000)
Industrial production growth rate
-3.2% (2000 est.)
Industries
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force
128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
10% (2001 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.bb
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
19 (2000)
Internet users
6,000 (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
237,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: NA domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use
108,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
8,013 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions
76,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Highways
total: 1,650 km paved: 1,628 km unpaved: 22 km (1998)
Merchant marine
total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 629,987 GRT/1,073,991 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bahamas, The 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, United Kingdom 18 (2002 est.) ships by type: Airports: 1 (2001)
Ports and harbors
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none
Military and Security
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
NA%
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 78,132 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 53,532 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Botswana