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Barbados (2008)

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Barbados 2008 year

 Barbados
Administrative divisions 11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
Age structure 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 27,659/female 27,573)


15-64 years: 71.4% (male 98,633/female 102,020)


65 years and over: 8.9% (male 9,662/female 15,399) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Airports 1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background 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.
Birth rate 12.61 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)
Capital name: Bridgetown


geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline 97 km
Constitution 30 November 1966
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Barbados
Death rate 8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $668 million (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN


embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael


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 chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING


chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200


FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
Disputes - international in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement limiting Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Economic aid - recipient $2.07 million (2005)
Economy - overview Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism, with nearly three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases in construction projects and tourism revenues - reflecting its success in the higher-end segment. The country enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region and an investment grade rating which benefits from its political stability and stable institutions. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises.
Electricity - consumption 886.3 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 953 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements 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, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Executive branch 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 David THOMPSON (since 16 January 2008)


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
Exports 0 kWh (2005)
Exports $385 million (2006)
Exports 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Exports 1,666 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners US 27.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 10.2%, Saint Lucia 7%, Jamaica 6.5%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March
Flag 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)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
Imports 0 kWh (2005)
Imports $1.586 billion (2006)
Imports 0 cu m (2005)
Imports 7,071 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.6%, UK 5.9% (2006)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate -3.2% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Infant mortality rate total: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 12.88 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 50 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice is the highest court of appeal
Labor force 128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 10%


industry: 15%


services: 75% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km
Land use arable land: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (2005)
Languages English
Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his discretion) 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 15 January 2008 (next to be called in 2013)


election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73 years


male: 71.02 years


female: 75.01 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 99.7%


male: 99.7%


female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Map references Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 71 ships (1000 GRT or over) 539,579 GRT/793,899 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 39, chemical tanker 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 67 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 9, Greece 11, India 1, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 35, Sweden 5, UK 3)


registered in other countries: 1 (St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)
Military - note the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Nationality noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG]
Political pressure groups and leaders Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, which includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD]
Population 280,946 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA%
Population growth rate 0.369% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.627 male(s)/female


total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 75 per 100 persons


domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system


international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 134,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 206,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.7% (2003 est.)
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