Barbados

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

19 (2000)

Internet country code

.bb

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)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget

revenues: $725.5 million expenditures: $750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 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. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-2000. 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. Growth should remain steady in 2001, with new tourist facilities a plus factor.

Electricity - consumption

667.7 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

718 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Exports

$260 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 14.8%, US 11.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%, Venezuela 6.1%, Jamaica 5.8% (1998)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 16% services: 80% (1998)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.8% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$800.3 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Japan 8.3%, UK 7.7%, Canada 2.2% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

0.8% (1996)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2000 est.)

Labor force

136,000 (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

11% (1999 est.)

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution 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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James A. DALEY 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KING 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 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

FAX

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

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; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Independence

30 November 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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: House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 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 [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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: 78,069 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 53,576 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.68% (male 30,122; female 29,572) 15-64 years: 69.44% (male 93,283; female 97,915) 65 years and over: 8.88% (male 9,432; female 15,006) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 80%, white 4%, other 16%

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

12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.25 years male: 70.66 years female: 75.86 years (2001 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) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Net migration rate

-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

275,330 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.46% (2001 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 (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US

Airports

1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 1,600 km paved: 1,578 km unpaved: 22 km (1998)

Merchant marine

total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 671,545 GRT/1,125,635 DWT ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 28, combination bulk 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Hong Kong 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none