1996 Edition

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)

Location

13 10 N, 59 32 W -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Flag ----

Area

comparative area

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

land area

430 sq km

total area

430 sq km

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Coastline

97 km

Environment

current issues

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

international agreements

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

natural hazards

hurricanes (especially June to October); periodic landslides

Geographic coordinates

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Geographic note

easternmost Caribbean island

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

77%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

9%

other

14%

permanent crops

0%

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 resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

highest point

Mount Hillaby 336 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 31,263; female 29,822) 15-64 years: 66% (male 83,565; female 86,697) 65 years and over: 10% (male 9,929; female 15,754) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

15.29 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African 80%, European 4%, other 16%

Infant mortality rate

18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.25 years (1996 est.)

male

71.65 years

total population

74.35 years

Literacy

age 15 and over has ever attended school (1995 est.)

female

96.8%

male

98%

total population

97.4%

Nationality

adjective

Barbadian

noun

Barbadian(s)

Net migration rate

-4.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

257,030 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.26% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Data code

BB

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN

telephone

[1] (202) 939-9218, 9219

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on advice of the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Acting Governor General Denys WILLIAMS (since 21 December 1995) who was appointed by the queen

head of government

Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994) was appointed by the governor general; Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994)

FAX

[1] (202) 332-7467

[1] (809) 429-5246

consulate(s)

Los Angeles

consulate(s) general

Miami and New York

Flag

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)

House of Assembly

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

Independence

30 November 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation

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, UNMIH, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Barbados

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Other political or pressure groups

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 and leaders

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

Senate

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary democracy

US diplomatic representation

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

Agriculture

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$550 million

Currency

1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

$NA

Economic overview

Historically, the Barbadian economy has been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Sluggish performances in the sugar and tourism sectors - which declined by 25% and 8% respectively - tempered economic expansion in 1995; output increased by 2% for the year, down from nearly 4% in 1994. Improved weather conditions in 1995 are expected to boost agriculture output in 1996. Since taking office in 1994, Prime Minister ARTHUR has aggressively moved to promote foreign direct investment as part of a policy designed to reduce nagging unemployment. The government has also been active in promoting regional integration initiatives.

Electricity

capacity

152,100 kW

consumption per capita

1,841 kWh (1993)

production

510 million kWh

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$158.6 million (f.o.b., 1995 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%

External debt

$408 million (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

6.4%

industry

39.3%

services

54.3% (1994)

GDP per capita

$9,800 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$693 million (c.i.f., 1995 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

5% (1995 est.)

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (1995 est.)

Labor force

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

19.9% (September 1995)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

71,667

males fit for military service

49,726 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

island wide automatic telephone system

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Telephones

87,343 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1 pay)

Televisions

69,350 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

1,550 km

total

1,550 km

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 6, cargo 21, combination bulk 3, oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

total

34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 183,937 GRT/271,707 DWT

Ports

Bridgetown

Railways

0 km