conventional long form: none conventional short form:Barbados
Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
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; note - the city of
Bridgetown may be given parish status
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: 2004) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde MASCOLL]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union
[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG];
People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados
[Dr. George BELLE]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael
Ian KING consulate(s): Los Angeles consulate(s) general: Miami and New
York FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marcia BERNICHT embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown mailing P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: 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 trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Economy Barbados
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, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: -3.2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 740 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 688.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports: $272 million (2000)
Exports - commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports - partners: Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000)
Imports: $1.16 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners: US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%,
Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000)
Debt - external: $425 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $9.1 million (1995)
Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code: BBD
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
