1986 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1986 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Agriculture
main products — sugarcane, subsistence foods
Aid
economic — US economic commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $14 million; ODA and OOF commitments from other Western countries (1970-83), $107 million; no military aid
Area
430 km2; about half the size of New York City; 60% crop; 30% unused, built on, or waste; 10% meadow Water
Branches
bicameral legislature (Parliament — 21-member appointed Senate and 27-member elected House of Assembly); Cabinet headed by Prime Minister
Budget
(FY84 prelim.) revenues, $288 million; expenditures, $323 million
Capital
Bridgetown
Coastline
97 km People
Communists
negligible
Elections
House of Assembly members have terms no longer than five years; last general election held 18 June 1981 Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party (BLP; leader not yet named [former leader was Prime Minister Tom Adams, who died in March 1985] ); Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Errol Barrow
Electric power
145,000 kW capacity (1985); 360 million kWh produced (1985), 1,429 kWh per capita
Ethnic divisions
80% African, 16% mixed, 4% European
Exports
$390 million (f.o.b., 1984); sugar and sugarcane byproducts, electrical parts, clothing
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
GDP
$1,151.7 million (1984), $4,560 per capita; real GDP growth rate 0% (1984)
Government leaders
H. Bernard ST. JOHN, Prime Minister (since March 1985); Sir Hugh SPRINGER, Governor General (since 1984)
Imports
$656.2 million (f.o.b., 1984); foodstuffs, consumer durables, machinery, fuels
Infant mortality rate
26.3/1,000(1984)
Labor force
1 12,300 (1985 est); 36.8% services and government; 22.4% commerce; 21.8% manufacturing and construction; 9.3% transportation, storage, communications, and finanacial institutions; 8. 1 % agriculture; and 2.1% utilities
Language
English
Legal system
English common law; constitution came into effect upon independence in 1966; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Life expectancy
70.8
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (200 nm exclusive economic zone)
Literacy
99%
Major industries
tourism, sugar milling, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Major trade partners
exports — 42% US, 22% CARICOM, 7% UK; imports— 48% US, 12% CARICOM, 8% UK, 6% Canada (1984 prelim.)
Member of
CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, IDB — Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Economy
Monetary conversion rate
2.01 13 Barbados dollars=US$l (September 1985)
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 November
Nationality
noun — Barbadian(s); adjective— Barbadian
Natural resources
negligible
Official name
Barbados
Organized labor
32% Government
Other political or pressure groups
People's Progressive Movement, Bobby Clarke; People's Pressure Movement, Eric Sealy; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George Bell
Political subdivisions
11 parishes and city of Bridgetown
Population
253,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate 0.5%
Religion
70% Anglican, 9% Methodist, 4% Roman Catholic, 17% other, including Moravian
Suffrage
universal over age 18
Type
independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State
Voting strength
(1981 election) BLP, 52.4%; DLP, 46.8%; independent, negligible; House of Assembly seats— BLP 17, DLP