Country name conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados Background 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.Location Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Area total: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 431 sq km Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Coastline 97 km 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 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 Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island Population 277,264 (July 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 21.2% (male 29,621; female 29,207)
15-64 years: 70% (male 94,840; female 99,230)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,355; female 15,011) (2003 est.) Median age total: 33.3 years
male: 32.2 years
female: 34.4 years (2002) Sex ratio at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.) Nationality noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) Ethnic groups black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Languages English Internet country code .bb Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8% (1995 est.) Government type parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO Economy - overview 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, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002 mainly due to a 3% decline in tourism. Growth should be positive in 2003, the precise level largely dependent on economic conditions in the US and Europe. Exports - partners US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%, Saint Lucia 4.7% (2002) Currency Barbadian dollar (BBD) Currency code BBD Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999), 2 (1998) Airports 1 (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways Disputes - international none |
