Statistical information Barbados 1993
Barbados in the World
top of pageBackground: The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar rum and molasses production through most of the 20th century. Tourism and manufacturing are gaining in economic importance.
top of pageLocation:
in the extreme eastern Caribbean Sea, about 375 km northeast of
Venezuela
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard
Time Zones of the World
AreaTotal: 430 km²
Land: 430 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, fishing, natural gas
Land useArable land: 77%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 9%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 14%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 255,338 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.18% (1993 est.)
Nationality: adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic groups: African 80%, mixed 16%, European 4%
Languages: English
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.18% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 15.78 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)
Current issues note: easternmost Caribbean island
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 21.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 73.49 years
Male: 70.75 years
Female: 76.46 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Barbados
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bridgetown
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
the new city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Dependent areasIndependence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrageExecutive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Rudi WEBSTER
In the us chancery: 2,144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 939-9,200 through 9,202
In the us consulate general: New York
In the us consulate: Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador G. Philip HUGHES
From the us embassy:Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
Bridgetown
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Box B, FPO AA 34,054
From the us telephone: (809) 436-4,950 through 4,957
From the us fax: (809) 429-5,246
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, 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) Historically, the economy was based on the cultivation of sugarcane and related activities. In recent years, however, the economy has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The tourist industry is now a major employer of the labor force and a primary source of foreign exchange. The economy slowed in 1990-91, however, and Bridgetown's declining hard currency reserves and inability to finance its deficits have caused it to adopt an austere economic reform program.
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overviewReal gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -4% (1991)
Real gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 8% of GDP; major cash crop is sugarcane; other crops - vegetables, cotton; not self-sufficient in food
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -1.3% (1991; accounts for 10% of GDP
Labor force: 120,900 (1991)
By occupation services and government: 37%
By occupation commerce: 22%
By occupation manufacturing and construction: 22%
By occupation transportation storage communications and financial institutions: 9%
By occupation agriculture: 8%
By occupation utilities: 2% (1985est.)
Unemployment rate: 23% (1992)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $547 million; expenditures $620 million (FY92-93), including capital expenditures of $60 million
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $205.8 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: sugar and molasses, chemicals, electrical components, clothing, rum, machinery and transport equipment
Partners: CARICOM 31%, US 16%, UK 13%
Imports: $697 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, consumer durables, raw materials, machinery, crude oil, construction materials, chemicals
Partners: US 34%, CARICOM 16%, UK 11%, Canada 6%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 152,100 kW capacity; 540 million kWh produced, 2,118 kWh per capita (1992)
Electricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $10 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 1
Usable: 1
With permanentsurface runways: 1
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,710 GRT79,263
DWT; includes 1 cargo, 2 oil tanker
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs