Area: total:430 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 202
land:430 sq km
water:0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 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: arable land:27.91%
permanent crops:2.33%
other:69.77% (2011)
Irrigated land: 54.35 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: 0.08 cu km (2011)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 0.08 cu km (2011) 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
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: 289,680 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 181
Age structure: 0-14 years:18.4% (male 26,709/female 26,716)
15-24 years:13.6% (male 19,705/female 19,754)
25-54 years:45% (male 64,821/female 65,394)
55-64 years:12.5% (male 16,837/female 19,286)
65 years and over:10.5% (male 12,068/female 18,390) (2014 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio:42.6 %
youth dependency ratio:26.8 %
elderly dependency ratio:15.8 %
potential support ratio:6.3 (2014 est.)
Median age: total:37.6 years
male:36.5 years
female:38.7 years (2014 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.33% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 169
Birth rate: 11.97 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 166
Death rate: 8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 82
Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 125
Urbanization: urban population:44.4% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:1.35% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population: BRIDGETOWN (capital) 122,000 (2011)
Sex ratio: at birth:1.01 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.65 male(s)/female
total population:0.94 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
Maternal mortality rate: 51 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
Infant mortality rate: total:10.93 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 132
male:12.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female:9.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population:74.99 yearscountry comparison to the world: 102
male:72.64 years
female:77.37 years (2014 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 174
Health expenditures: 7.7% of GDP (2011)
Physicians density: 1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2005)
Hospital bed density: 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source: improved:
urban: 99.8% of population
rural: 99.8% of population
total: 99.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.2% of population
rural: 0.2% of population
total: 0.2% of population (2012 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved:
urban: 91.6% of population
rural: 91.6% of population
total: 91.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8.4% of population
rural: 8.4% of population
total: 8.4% of population (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 49
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,500 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 140
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA (2009 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 34.7% (2008)country comparison to the world: 14
Education expenditures: 5.6% of GDP (2012)country comparison to the world: 54 Literacy: definition:age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population:99.7%
male:99.7%
female:99.7% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total:15 years
male:14 years
female:17 years (2011)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total:26.2%country comparison to the world: 38
male:24.1%
female:28.7% (2003)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Barbados
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:the monarchy 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
Legislative branch: 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 his discretion) 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 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]
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
consulate(s):Los Angeles
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
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
Economy - overview:
Barbados is the wealthiest and most developed country in the Eastern Caribbean and enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. 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 2013. Growth prospects are limited because of a weak tourism outlook and planned austerity measures.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.004 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
$7.056 billion (2012 est.)
$7.056 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.262 billion (2013 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.8% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
0% (2012 est.)
0.8% (2011 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,100 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
$25,400 (2012 est.)
$25,400 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars
Gross national saving:
9% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
9.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption:81.7%
government consumption:15.4%
investment in fixed capital:14.3%
investment in inventories:1.9%
exports of goods and services:40.5%
imports of goods and services:-53.8%
(2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture:3.1%
industry:13.9%
services:83% (2013 est.)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Industries:
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172 Labor force:
141,800 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture:10%
industry:15%
services:75% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
11.6% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:NA%
highest 10%:NA%
Budget: revenues:$1.15 billion (2013 est.)
expenditures:$1.45 billion (2013 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
27% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110 Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-7% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Public debt:
90.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
85.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
4.8% (2012 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
7% (31 December 2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.5% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
8.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.749 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$1.711 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$4.229 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
$4.198 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.035 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$4.874 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.495 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Current account balance:
-$276.6 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
-$204.4 million (2012 est.)
Exports:
$1.051 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
$1.039 billion (2012 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 20.8%, US 11.9%, St. Lucia 9.7%, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6%, Jamaica 5.6%, Antigua and Barbuda 4.9%, St. Kitts and Nevis 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2012)
Imports:
$1.674 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
$1.584 billion (2012 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:
Trinidad and Tobago 35.9%, US 26.9%, China 5.6% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$712.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
$839.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.49 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$668 million (2003 est.)
Exchange rates:
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar -
2 (2013 est.)
2 (2012 est.)
2 (2010 est.)
note:the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar
Energy
Electricity - production:
1.002 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world:145
Electricity - consumption:
986 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
239,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Crude oil - production:
1,001 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Crude oil - exports:
764.5 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Crude oil - proved reserves:
2.26 million bbl (1 January 2013 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:
8,339 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
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: 134
Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Natural gas - proved reserves:
113.3 million cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
1.442 million Mt (2011 est.)
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:
144,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world:137
Telephones - mobile cellular:
347,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 172
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)
Internet country code:
.bb
Internet hosts:
1,524 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 167
Internet users:
188,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 143
Transportation
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 kmcountry comparison to the world: 176
paved:1,600 km (2011)
Merchant marine total:109country comparison to the world: 49
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
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 (2007)
Transnational Issues
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
Trafficking in persons
Illicit drugs one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
