Background: 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.

Map reference:

Area
Total: 430 km²
Land: 430 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 97 km
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Natural resources: petroleum, fishing, natural gas

Land use
Arable land: 77%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 9%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 14%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Population: 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)

Population 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.)

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)
Current issues note: easternmost Caribbean island

Infant mortality rate: 21.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.49 years
Male: 70.75 years
Female: 76.46 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99%

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Barbados

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Bridgetown

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 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

Executive 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

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In 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:
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.

Real gdp growth rate: -4% (1991)

Real gdp per capita: $7,000 (1991)

Agriculture 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)

Budget: revenues $547 million; expenditures $620 million (FY92-93), including capital expenditures of $60 million

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Exports: $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%

Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)

Electricity
Production: 152,100 kW capacity; 540 million kWh produced, 2,118 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $10 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989)

Airports: 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

Merchant marine:

Disputes international: none