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Compare Barbados (2003) - Bahamas, The (2002)

Compare Barbados (2003) z Bahamas, The (2002)

 Barbados (2003)Bahamas, The (2002)
 BarbadosBahamas, The
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 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.2% (male 29,621; female 29,207)


15-64 years: 70% (male 94,840; female 99,230)


65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,355; female 15,011) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250)


15-64 years: 64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948; female 11,000) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vegetables, cotton citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 1 (2002) 67 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 30


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 34 35


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 3 23 (2002)
Area total: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Connecticut
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. Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Birth rate 13.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $918.5 million


expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)
Capital Bridgetown Nassau
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October) tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 97 km 3,542 km
Constitution 30 November 1966 10 July 1973
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Barbados
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
Currency Barbadian dollar (BBD) Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Death rate 9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $692 million (2002) $381.9 million (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Earl N. PHILLIPS, Jr.


embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown


mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055


telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950


FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Richard BLANKENSHIP


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING


chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 339-9201


FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $9.1 million (1995) $9.8 million (1995)
Economy - overview Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light-manufacturing sector. 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 mainly due to a 3% decline in tourism. Growth should be positive in 2003, the precise level largely dependent on economic conditions in the US and Europe. The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs almost half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of the majority of tourist visitors.
Electricity - consumption 725.4 million kWh (2001) 1.432 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 780 million kWh (2001) 1.54 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to: 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: Biodiversity
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, 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% black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
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 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
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


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 NA (2001) $535.8 million (2000)
Exports - commodities sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables (1999)
Exports - partners US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%, Saint Lucia 4.7% (2002) US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4% (2000)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 July - 30 June
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) three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.153 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -2.8% (2002 est.) 3.5% (2001)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 1,793 km


paved: 1,719 km


unpaved: 74 km (1999)
total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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 transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports NA (2001) $1.88 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)
Imports - partners US 41.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.2% (2002) US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK) 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate -3.2% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate total: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.39 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.6% (2002 est.) 1.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 19 (2000) 19 (2000)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Labor force 128,500 (2001 est.) 156,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.6%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 99% (1998 est.)
Languages English English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts based on English common law
Legislative branch 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.84 years


male: 69.56 years


female: 74.14 years (2003 est.)
total population: 69.87 years


male: 66.32 years


female: 73.49 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 97.4%


male: 98%


female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.5%


female: 98% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 284,222 GRT/439,810 DWT


ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 22, combination bulk 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, The Bahamas 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, UK 18 (2002 est.)
total: 1,076 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,309,187 GRT/45,859,485 DWT


ships by type: bulk 159, cargo 246, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 13, combination ore/oil 22, container 80, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 88, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 120, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 22


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $20 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 0.7% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 77,862 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Nationality noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


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


adjective: Bahamian
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Net migration rate -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll] Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders 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] NA
Population 277,264 (July 2003 est.) 300,529


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.38% (2003 est.) 0.86% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 215,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km 0 km
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
Sex ratio 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 (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system


international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
general assessment: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Telephones - main lines in use 108,000 (1997) 96,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,013 (1997) 6,152 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10% (2001 est.) 6.9% (2001 est.)
Waterways none none
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