2009 Edition

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.

Area

total: 430 sq km country comparison to the world: 200 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: 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%) per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geography - note

easternmost Caribbean island

Irrigated land

50 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Total renewable water resources

0.1 cu km (2003)

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.)

Birth rate

12.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Death rate

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Education expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 24

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 143 male: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.94 years country comparison to the world: 95 male: 71.65 years female: 76.26 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Median age

total: 35.8 years male: 34.7 years female: 36.9 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Net migration rate

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Population

284,589 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Population growth rate

0.383% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2001)

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Urbanization

urban population: 40% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Capital

name: Bridgetown geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

30 November 1966

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador John BEALE chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200

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

FAX

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

[1] (246) 431-0179

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 band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Government type

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

30 November 1966 (from the UK)

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

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

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 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget

revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 24 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.03% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 10.8% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

-$254 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Debt - external

$668 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 159

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - consumption

939.9 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.003 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Exchange rates

Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)

Exports

$385 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 168

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Trinidad and Tobago 15.6%, Jamaica 13.9%, Brazil 9.9%, US 8.7%, UK 7.8%, Saint Lucia 7.3%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.5% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $18,900 (2007 est.) $18,300 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 3.3% (2007 est.) 3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.67 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.367 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $5.329 billion (2007 est.) $5.159 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.586 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 158

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 27.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 25.6%, Russia 7.1%, Colombia 6.4%, Germany 4.1% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

-3.2% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Labor force

175,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 10% industry: 15% services: 75% (1996 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 $5.599 billion (31 December 2007) $4.954 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - production

29.17 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - proved reserves

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Oil - consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Oil - exports

1,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Oil - imports

10,390 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - production

1,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - proved reserves

2.17 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$620 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 135 $620 million (2007)

Stock of domestic credit

$4.554 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $3.533 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.637 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 75 $1.478 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$3.701 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $2.717 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

10.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Internet country code

.bb

Internet hosts

235 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185

Internet users

188,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 150 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 (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

150,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Telephones - mobile cellular

406,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 160

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)

Airports

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 212

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 85 country comparison to the world: 53 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

Roadways

total: 1,600 km country comparison to the world: 176 paved: 1,600 km (2004)

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.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,015 female: 2,007 (2009 est.)

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 (2007)

Military expenditures

0.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Royal Barbados Defense Force

Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2009)

Disputes - international

Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; 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 eastern Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center page last updated on November 11, 2009