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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

89,000 telephones local: island wide automatic telephone system; intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay) televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes the Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP BASSAS DA INDIA (possession of France)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 71,153; males fit for military service 49,488 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 6% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane; other crops - vegetables, cotton; not self-sufficient in food

Budget [time series]

revenues: $509 million expenditures: $636 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY94/95 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $171 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 152,100 kW production: 510 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,841 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)

Exports [time series]

$161 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing partners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$652 million (1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$703 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 2% (FY93/94 est.); accounts for about 10% of GDP

Industries [time series]

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$9,200 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

A per capita income of $9,200 gives Barbados one of the highest standards of living of all the small island states of the eastern Caribbean. Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. A moderate recovery that began in late 1993 after 3 years of contraction is mainly due to increased tourism and expansion in the construction sector. Economic prospects for 1995 depend mostly on continued growth in the industrialized countries, especially in Europe, which would spur further expansion in tourism.

Unemployment rate [time series]

20.5% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 430 sq km land area: 430 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline [time series]

97 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers natural hazards: hurricanes (especially June to October); periodic landslides international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 77% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 14%

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, fishing, natural gas

Note [time series]

easternmost Caribbean island

Terrain [time series]

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status

Capital [time series]

Bridgetown

Constitution [time series]

30 November 1966

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9218, 9219

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990) 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 advice of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (809) 429-5246

Flag [time series]

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, 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)

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats - (28 total) DLP 8, BLP 19, NDP 1

Independence [time series]

30 November 1966 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Judicature

Legal system [time series]

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Barbados Workers Union, Leroy TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David COMMISSIONG

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Labor Party (DLP),David THOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National Democratic Party (NDP), Richard HAYNES

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (809) 436-4950

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 24% (female 30,175; male 31,507) 15-64 years: 66% (female 86,103; male 82,727) 65 years and over: 10% (female 15,849; male 10,034) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.45 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.27 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

African 80%, European 4%, other 16%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

19.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

124,800 (1992) by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.16 years male: 71.47 years female: 77.06 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian

Net migration rate [time series]

-4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

256,395 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.24% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.78 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 1 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,570 km paved: 1,475 km unpaved: gravel, earth 95 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,563 GRT/103,632 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 6, oil tanker 2

Ports [time series]

Bridgetown

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km