2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Airports

1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 (2006)

total

1

Area

land

431 sq km

total

431 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Geography Barbados

Birth rate

12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

revenues

$847 million (including grants)

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 06 N, 59 37 W

name

Bridgetown

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline

97 km

Constitution

30 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Barbados

Currency (code)

Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code

BBD

Death rate

8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$668 million (2003)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN

embassy

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown

mailing address

P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055

telephone

[1] (246) 436-4950

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael Ian KING

telephone

[1] (202) 939-9200

Disputes - international

in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration that will result in a binding award challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and the southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

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 light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005-06, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.

Electricity - consumption

833.3 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

896 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Hillaby 336 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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

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

Ethnic groups

black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Exchange rates

Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)

elections

none; 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

head of government

Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May 2003)

Exports

$209 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components

Exports - partners

US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%, Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 332-7467

[1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

consulate(s)

Los Angeles

consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Barbados

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 Barbados

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

6%

industry

16%

services

78% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.157 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.108 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geography - note

easternmost Caribbean island People Barbados

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,500 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$1.476 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners

US 37.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.1%, UK 5.5%, Japan 5.2% (2005)

Independence

30 November 1966 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-3.2% (2000 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Infant mortality rate

female

10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

13.38 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.5% (2003 est.)

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, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.bb

Internet hosts

282 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

19 (2000)

Internet users

160,000 (2005) Transportation Barbados

Irrigated land

50 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice is the highest court of appeal

Labor force

128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

10%

industry

15%

services

75% (1996 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

37.21%

other

60.46% (2005)

permanent crops

2.33%

Languages

English

Legal system

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

elections

House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.82 years (2006 est.)

male

70.79 years

total population

72.79 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

99.7% (2002 est.) Government Barbados

male

99.7%

total population

99.7%

Location

Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

72,302 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

71,524

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

54,889 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

54,510

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

35.6 years (2006 est.)

male

33.4 years

total

34.6 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned

57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)

registered in other countries

1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

total

58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT

Military - note

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 (2005) Transnational Issues Barbados

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Nationality

adjective

Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

noun

Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

Natural gas - consumption

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

29.17 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Net migration rate

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

1,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Political parties and leaders

Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; 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, which 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]

Population

279,912 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.37% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Bridgetown Military Barbados

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

237,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Roadways

paved

1,600 km (2004)

total

1,600 km

Royal Barbados Defense Force

Troops Command, Coast Guard (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

island-wide automatic telephone system

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use

134,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

206,200 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)

Televisions

76,000 (1997)

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.7% (2003 est.)