Compare Pacific Ocean (2003) - Barbados (2002)

Compare Pacific Ocean (2003) z Barbados (2002)

	Pacific Ocean (2003)	Barbados (2002)

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
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 21.4% (male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Airports	-	1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies	total: 431 sq km land: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.	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	-	13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital	-	Bridgetown
Climate	planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December	tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline	135,663 km	97 km
Constitution	-	30 November 1966
Country name	-	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados
Currency	-	Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Death rate	-	8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	-	$425 million
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; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246
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 and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles
Disputes - international	some maritime disputes (see littoral states)	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$9.1 million (1995)
Economy - overview	The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.	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, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year.
Electricity - consumption	-	688.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	-	740 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Environment - current issues	endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea	pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
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
Ethnic groups	-	black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
Exchange rates	-	Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US 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 Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) 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	-	$272 million (2000)
Exports - commodities	-	sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports - partners	-	Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000)
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	-	purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	-2% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	0 00 N, 160 00 W	13 10 N, 59 32 W
Geography - note	the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean	easternmost Caribbean island
Highways	-	total: 1,650 km paved: 1,628 km unpaved: 22 km (1998)
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	-	$1.16 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities	-	consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners	-	US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%, Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000)
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	-	11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	3.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	-	ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	19 (2000)
Irrigated land	-	10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Labor force	-	128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries	-	0 km
Land use	-	arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (1998 est.)
Languages	-	English
Legal system	-	English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch	-	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 73.49 years male: 70.9 years female: 76.12 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
Location	body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Map references	Political Map of the World	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	-	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 629,987 GRT/1,073,991 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, combination bulk 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bahamas, The 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, United Kingdom 18 (2002 est.)
Military branches	-	Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA%
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 78,132 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 53,532 (2002 est.)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Nationality	-	noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Natural hazards	surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December	infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Natural resources	oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish	petroleum, fish, natural gas
Net migration rate	-	-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]
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]
Population	-	276,607 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	0.46% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)	Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	-	237,000 (1997)
Railways	-	0 km
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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	-	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
Telephones - main lines in use	-	108,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	8,013 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	-	1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Terrain	surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest	relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Total fertility rate	-	1.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Transportation - note	Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)	-
Unemployment rate	-	10% (2001 est.)
Waterways	-	none

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.