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Compare Barbados (2003) - Hong Kong (2004)

Compare Barbados (2003) z Hong Kong (2004)

 Barbados (2003)Hong Kong (2004)
 BarbadosHong Kong
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 none (special administrative region of China)
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: 14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)


15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382)


65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vegetables, cotton fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork
Airports 1 (2002) 4 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,092 sq km


land: 1,042 sq km


water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC six 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. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 13.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 7.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $26.17 billion


expenditures: $32.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2003)
Capital Bridgetown -
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October) tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline 97 km 733 km
Constitution 30 November 1966 Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Barbados
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Hong Kong


local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu


local short form: Xianggang


abbreviation: HK
Currency Barbadian dollar (BBD) Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Death rate 9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $692 million (2002) $59.21 billion (2003 est.)
Dependency status - special administrative region of China
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: Consul General James KEITH


consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006


telephone: [852] 2523-9011


FAX: [852] 2524-0860
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
none (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $9.1 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. Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, but a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003.
Electricity - consumption 725.4 million kWh (2001) 37.12 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 1.581 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 10.36 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 780 million kWh (2001) 30.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
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: Marine Dumping (associate member)
Ethnic groups black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% Chinese 95%, other 5%
Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998) Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999)
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: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members and 14 official members; including Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2 August 2003), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)


elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002 by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces; the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones
Exports - partners US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%, Saint Lucia 4.7% (2002) China 42.6%, US 18.7%, Japan 5.4% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 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) red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.153 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $213 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 12.1%


services: 87.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -2.8% (2002 est.) 3.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island more than 200 islands
Heliports - 2 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 1,793 km


paved: 1,719 km


unpaved: 74 km (1999)
total: 1,831 km


paved: 1,831 km


unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
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 Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics; a large share is reexported
Imports - partners US 41.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.2% (2002) China 43.5%, Japan 11.9%, Taiwan 6.9%, US 5.5%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 4.8% (2003)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK) none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate -3.2% (2000 est.) -9.2% (2003 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
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.)
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.6% (2002 est.) -2.6% (2003 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 APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 19 (2000) -
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Labor force 128,500 (2001 est.) 3.5 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) manufacturing 8.2%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.5%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social services 17.8% (Note: above data exclude public sector) (2002 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 30 km


regional border: China 30 km
Land use arable land: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (1998 est.)
arable land: 5.05%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 93.94% (2001)
Languages English Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
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
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.84 years


male: 69.56 years


female: 74.14 years (2003 est.)
total population: 81.39 years


male: 78.72 years


female: 84.3 years (2004 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 has ever attended school


total population: 93.5%


male: 96.9%


female: 89.6% (2002)
Location Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Southeast Asia
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 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: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT


by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4


foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4, India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9, Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1


registered in other countries: 569 (2004 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of China
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% NA (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 77,862 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 41,821 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966) National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger


adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides occasional typhoons
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Net migration rate -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll] Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]


note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party
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] Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]
Population 277,264 (July 2003 est.) 6,855,125 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 0.38% (2003 est.) 0.65% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) Hong Kong
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways 0 km -
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
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: 1.09 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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 provide excellent domestic and international services


domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network


international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Telephones - main lines in use 108,000 (1997) 3,801,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,013 (1997) 7,241,400 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) 4 (2004)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) 0.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 10% (2001 est.) 7.9% (2003)
Waterways none -
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