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Central America and Caribbean :: Barbados

- ## Introduction :: BARBADOS

- Background:
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. African 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.

- ## Geography :: BARBADOS

- Location:
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
  Geographic coordinates:
  13 10 N, 59 32 W
  Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean
  Area:
  total: 430 sq km
  land: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 202
  Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  97 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)
  Terrain:
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
  Natural resources:
  petroleum, fish, natural gas
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 32.6%
  arable land 25.6%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 4.7%
  forest: 19.4%
  other: 48% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  54.35 sq km (2003)
  Total renewable water resources:
  0.08 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 0.1 cu km/yr (20%/26%/54%)
  per capita: 371.3 cu m/yr (2009)
  Natural hazards:
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
  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
  Geography - note:
  easternmost Caribbean island

- ## People and Society :: BARBADOS

- Nationality:
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
  Ethnic groups:
  black 92.4%, white 2.7%, mixed 3.1%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)
  Languages:
  English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings)
  Religions:
  Protestant 66.3% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant .8%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.)
  Population:
  290,604 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 181
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.29% (male 26,570/female 26,583)
  15-24 years: 13.35% (male 19,323/female 19,461)
  25-54 years: 44.62% (male 64,604/female 65,069)
  55-64 years: 12.87% (male 17,483/female 19,907)
  65 years and over: 10.88% (male 12,596/female 19,008) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 50.4%
  youth dependency ratio: 29.1%
  elderly dependency ratio: 21.3%
  potential support ratio: 4.7% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 37.6 years
  male: 36.5 years
  female: 38.7 years (2014 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.31% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Birth rate:
  11.87 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 166
  Death rate:
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 82
  Net migration rate:
  -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 31.5% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  BRIDGETOWN (capital) 90,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.18 years
  male: 72.82 years
  female: 77.56 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Total fertility rate:
  1.68 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 174
  Health expenditures:
  6.8% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Physicians density:
  1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2005)
  Hospital bed density:
  6.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 99.7% of population
  rural: 99.7% of population
  total: 99.7% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0.3% of population
  rural: 0.3% of population
  total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 96.2% of population
  rural: 96.2% of population
  total: 96.2% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 3.8% of population
  rural: 3.8% of population
  total: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.88% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 46
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,500 (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  33.2% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 14
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  3.5% (2013)
  Education expenditures:
  5.6% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 15 years
  male: 14 years
  female: 17 years (2011)

- ## Government :: BARBADOS

- Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Barbados
  note: the name derives from the Portuguese "as barbadas," which means the bearded ones and can refer either to the long, hanging roots of the island's bearded-fig trees or to the alleged beards of the native Carib inhabitants
  Government type:
  parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
  Capital:
  name: Bridgetown
  geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
  time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  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
  Independence:
  30 November 1966 (from the UK)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
  Constitution:
  adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966; amended several times, last in 2003 (2011)
  Legal system:
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Elliot BELGRAVE (since 1 June 2012)
  head of government: Prime Minister Freundel STUART (since 23 October 2010)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
  Legislative branch:
  description: 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 the discretion of the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held on 21 February 2013 (next to be called in 2018)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 51.3%, BLP 48.3%, other 0.4%; seats by party - DLP 16, BLP 14
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the chief Justice and president of the court and 4 justices; note - Barbados, a member of the Caribbean Court of Justice, replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) as the final court of appeal
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister and opposition leader of Parliament; other justices appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 5-member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court chief justice, the commission head, and governor-general appointees recommended by the prime minister; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 65
  subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts
  Political parties and leaders:
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]
  Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Freundel STUART]
  People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Mary REDMAN]
  Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Karen BEST]
  Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Linda BROOKS]
  Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]
  Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, (includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU) [Leroy TROTMAN]
  National Union of Public Workers or NUPW [Walter MALONEY]
  International organization participation:
  ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John E. BEALE (since 29 January 2009)
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry L. PALMER (since 9 May 2012); note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; (Department Name) Unit 3120, DPO AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 227-4000
  FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179
  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 band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
  National symbol(s):
  Neptune's trident, pelican, Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados); national colors: blue, yellow, black
  National anthem:
  name: "The National Anthem of Barbados"
  lyrics/music: Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS
  note: adopted 1966; the anthem is also known as "In Plenty and In Time of Need"

- ## Economy :: BARBADOS

- Economy - overview:
  Barbados is the wealthiest and most developed country in the Eastern Caribbean and enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, in recent years the economy has diversified into light industry and tourism with about four-fifths of GDP and of exports being attributed to services. 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. Barbados' tourism, financial services, and construction industries have been hard hit since the onset of the global economic crisis in 2008. Barbados' public debt-to-GDP ratio rose from 56% in 2008 to 90.5% in 2014. Growth prospects are limited because of a weak tourism outlook and planned austerity measures.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.516 billion (2014 est.)
  $4.53 billion (2013 est.)
  $4.53 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 176
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $4.348 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.3% (2014 est.)
  0% (2013 est.)
  0% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 207
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $16,200 (2014 est.)
  $16,200 (2013 est.)
  $16,200 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Gross national saving:
  4.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
  4.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
  4.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 80.9%
  government consumption: 14.5%
  investment in fixed capital: 14.1%
  investment in inventories: 2%
  exports of goods and services: 39.2%
  imports of goods and services: -50.7%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 12%
  services: 85% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
  Industries:
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
  Industrial production growth rate:
  -5.5% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 194
  Labor force:
  142,800 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 15%
  services: 75% (1996 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  12.7% (2014 est.)
  11.7% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Population below poverty line:
  NA%
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $1.1 billion (2013 est.)
  expenditures: $1.5 billion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  25.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 113
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -9.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Public debt:
  101.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
  97.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 14
  Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2014 est.)
  1.8% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 97
  Central bank discount rate:
  7% (31 December 2010)
  7% (31 December 2009)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  9% (31 December 2014 est.)
  8.7% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  Stock of narrow money:
  $1.848 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $1.737 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Stock of broad money:
  $4.407 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $4.201 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $5.374 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $5.003 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $4.495 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
  $4.571 billion (31 December 2011)
  $4.366 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Current account balance:
  -$394 million (2014 est.)
  -$440.7 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Exports:
  $774.9 million (2014 est.)
  $775.4 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  Exports - commodities:
  manufactures, sugar, molasses, rum, other foodstuffs and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
  Exports - partners:
  Trinidad and Tobago 20.7%, US 11.2%, St. Lucia 9.6%, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6%, Jamaica 5.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.9%, St. Kitts and Nevis 4.6% (2013)
  Imports:
  $1.697 billion (2014 est.)
  $1.671 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171
  Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
  Imports - partners:
  Trinidad and Tobago 35%, US 24.6%, Canada 8% (2013)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $667.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $681 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Debt - external:
  $4.49 billion (2010 est.)
  $668 million (2003 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 130
  Exchange rates:
  Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar -
  2 (2014 est.)
  2 (2013 est.)
  2 (2012 est.)
  2 (2011 est.)
  note: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar

- ## Energy :: BARBADOS

- Electricity - production:
  1.002 billion kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Electricity - consumption:
  934 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 153
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 118
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  239,000 kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Crude oil - production:
  1,001 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Crude oil - exports:
  764.5 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 67
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  2.84 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  31 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  7,980 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 160
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  8,736 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Natural gas - production:
  20 million cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 87
  Natural gas - consumption:
  20 million cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  141.6 million cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  1.312 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163

- ## Communications :: BARBADOS

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 150,000
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 305,500
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 176
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: island-wide automatic telephone system
  domestic: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 125 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) 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 (2009)
  Broadcast media:
  government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial TV station; CBC also operates a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen radio stations, consisting of a CBC-operated network operating alongside privately owned radio stations (2007)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (2009)
  Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004)
  Internet country code:
  .bb
  Internet users:
  total: 227,400
  percent of population: 78.5% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 152

- ## Transportation :: BARBADOS

- Airports:
  1 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 236
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  gas 33 km; oil 64 km; refined products 6 km (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 1,600 km
  paved: 1,600 km (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 177
  Merchant marine:
  total: 109
  by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 52, chemical tanker 13, container 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 83 (Canada 11, Greece 14, Iran 5, Lebanon 2, Norway 38, Sweden 4, Syria 1, Turkey 1, UAE 1, UK 6) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Bridgetown

- ## Military :: BARBADOS

- Military branches:
  Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2011)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service, or earlier with parental consent; no conscription (2013)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 73,820
  females age 16-49: 73,835 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 58,125
  females age 16-49: 58,016 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 1,842
  female: 1,849 (2010 est.)
  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 island defense against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre deployed throughout the island; the cadre increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline for smuggling and other illicit activities

- ## Transnational Issues :: BARBADOS

- Disputes - international:
  Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; 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, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
  Illicit drugs:
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

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