Internet country code [time series]

.bb

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

204 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

100,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

134,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

140,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget [time series]

revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

BBD

Debt - external [time series]

$668 million (2003)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$9.1 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

725.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

780 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$206 million (2002)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

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)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $4.355 billion (2003 est.)

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

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

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

purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

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

2.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$1.039 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 6.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-3.2% (2000 est.)

Industries [time series]

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force [time series]

128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.7% (2003 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 431 sq km land: 431 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: 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geography - note [time series]

easternmost Caribbean island

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2001)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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

Capital [time series]

Bridgetown

Constitution [time series]

30 November 1966

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 339-9200 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles

Executive branch [time series]

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

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; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Independence [time series]

30 November 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

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 (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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

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

Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

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

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 [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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.

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

Royal Barbados Defense Force (Troops Command and Coast Guard)

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: 77,714 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 53,127 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

2,500 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.64 years male: 69.51 years female: 73.81 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 33.7 years male: 32.6 years female: 34.9 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

278,289 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.36% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

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

Illicit drugs [time series]

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Airports [time series]

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,793 km paved: 1,719 km unpaved: 74 km (1999)

Merchant marine [time series]

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 foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 5, Greece 7, Hong Kong 7, Italy 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom 10 registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)