Administrative divisions11 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
Age structure
0-14 years: 21% (male 29,294; female 29,020)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 95,675; female 99,864)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,370; female 15,066) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Airports
1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2003 est.)
Area
total: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 431 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.
Birth rate
12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget
revenues: $847 million (including grants)
expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
Capital
Bridgetown
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
Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code
BBD
Death rate
9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external
$668 million (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER
embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
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) 339-9200
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Disputes - international
Barbados intends to take its claim before UNCLOS arbitration that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into its waters; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under 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 should be positive in 2004, the precise level largely dependent on economic conditions in the US and Europe.
Electricity - consumption
725.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production
780 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
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
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 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)
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 Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May 2003)
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; 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
Exports
$206 million (2002)
Exports - commodities
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners
US 18.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 14%, Jamaica 7.8%, Saint Lucia 6.2%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.7% (2003 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
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)
GDP
purchasing power parity - $4.355 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 6%
industry: 16%
services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates
13 10 N, 59 32 W
Geography - note
easternmost Caribbean island
Government type
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Highways
total: 1,793 km
paved: 1,719 km
unpaved: 74 km (1999)
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 shar
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
Imports
$1.039 billion (2002)
Imports - commodities
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners
US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 6.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003 est.)
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
total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.26 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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet country code
.bb
Internet hosts
204 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
19 (2000)
Internet users
100,000 (2003)
Irrigated land
10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
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%
permanent crops: 2.33%
other: 60.46% (2001)
Languages
English
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 (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.64 years
male: 69.51 years
female: 73.81 years (2004 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
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
Median age
total: 33.7 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.9 years (2004 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWT
by type: bulk 11, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 5, Greece 7, Hong Kong 7, Italy 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom 10
Military branches
Royal Barbados Defense Force (Troops Command and Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
NA
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 77,714 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 53,127 (2004 est.)
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Nationality
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Natural gas - consumption
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - production
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Natural hazards
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Natural resources
petroleum, fish, natural gas
Net migration rate
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports
NA (2001)
Oil - imports
NA (2001)
Oil - production
1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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 [Clyde Mascoll]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]
Population
278,289 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA
Population growth rate
0.36% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
237,000 (1997)
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: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use
134,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular
140,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions
76,000 (1997)
Terrain
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Total fertility rate
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
10.7% (2003 est.)