Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: island wide automatic telephone system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

87,343 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1 pay)

Televisions [time series]

69,350 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget [time series]

revenues: $550 million expenditures: $710 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY95/96 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$359 million (December 1996)

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production 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. The industry generated $331.8 million by the end of June and was expected to double by the end of the year. Prime Minister Owen ARTHUR called for "prudent" financial management to ensure that economic growth would continue. As part of his plan, the Prime Minister introduced a controversial Value Added Tax (VAT) in an effort to reform the tax administration process. The VAT will be administered at 15% for most industries and 7% for the tourism industry. The government has also continued its efforts to promote regional integration initiatives, to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, and to encourage direct foreign investment.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

153,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

2,208 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

644 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1995) 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%

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $2.65 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 6.4% industry: 39.3% services: 54.3% (1994)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $10,300 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.5% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $763 million (c.i.f., 1995) 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 [time series]

7.7% (1995)

Industries [time series]

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

1.8% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

total: 126,000 (1993) 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.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

16.2% (1996)

Area [time series]

total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline [time series]

97 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geography - note [time series]

easternmost Caribbean island

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland : 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Terrain [time series]

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

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 city of Bridgetown may be given parish status

Constitution [time series]

30 November 1966

Country name [time series]

conventional long form : none conventional short form: Barbados

Data code [time series]

BB

Diplomatic representation from the US [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] (246) 436-4950

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. 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 of the UK (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general

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] (246) 429-5246

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

30 November 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, 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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service

Legal system [time series]

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch [time series]

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 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Bridgetown

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

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

Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [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]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 71,547 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 49,446 (1997 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 24% (male 31,025; female 30,197) 15-64 years: 66% (male 83,977; female 87,208) 65 years and over : 10% (male 10,002; female 16,347) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 80%, white 4%, other 16%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.6 years male : 71.84 years female: 77.43 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian

Net migration rate [time series]

-5.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

258,756 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.12% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.88 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe BASSAS DA INDIA (possession of France)

Airports [time series]

1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,610 km paved : 1,542 km unpaved: 68 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 453,828 GRT/684,470 DWT ships by type : bulk 16, cargo 27, combination bulk 4, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bridgetown

Railways [time series]

0 km