BARBADOS
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| (See reference map III) |
LAND
430 km2; 60% cropped, 10% permanent meadows, 30% unused, built on, or wasteland
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (economic including fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: 97 km
PEOPLE
Population: 252,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.5%
Nationality: noun—Barbadian(s); adjective—Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: 80% African, 17% mixed, 4% European
Religion: Anglican (70%), Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Moravian
Language: English
Literacy: over 90%
Labor force: 106,000 (1979 est.) wage and salary earners; unemployment 11% (1979)
Organized labor: 32%
GOVERNMENT
Official name: Barbados
Type: independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth since November 1966, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State
Capital: Bridgetown
Political subdivisions: 11 parishes and city of Bridgetown
Legal system: English common law; constitution came into effect upon independence in 1966; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: 30 November
Branches: legislature consisting of a 21-member appointed Senate and a 27-member elected House of Assembly; Cabinet headed by Prime Minister
Government leaders: Prime Minister J. M. G. "Tom" ADAMS; Governor General Sir Deighton H. L. WARD
Suffrage: universal over age 18
Elections: House of Assembly members have terms no longer than five years; last general election held 18 June 1981
Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party (BLP), J. M. G. "Tom" Adams; Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Errol Barrow
Voting strength (1981 election): Barbados Labor Party (BLP), 52.4%; Democratic Labor Party, 46.8%; Independent, negligible; House of Assembly seats—BLP 17, DLP 10
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Movement for National Liberation (MONALI), a small leftist group led by Bobby Clarke
Member of: CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, 1CAO, IDB, 1FAD, 1FC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ISO, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, OAS, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
ECONOMY
GDP: $811 million (1980), $3,257 per capita; real growth rate 1980, 5%
Agriculture: main products—sugarcane, subsistence foods
Major industries: tourism, sugar milling, light manufacturing
Electric power: 110,000 kW capacity (1981); 325 million kWh produced (1980), 1,265 kWh per capita
Exports: $207 million (f.o.b., 1980); sugar and sugarcane byproducts, electrical parts, clothing
Imports: $424 million (c.i.f., 1979); foodstuffs, consumer durables, machinery, fuels
Major trade partners: exports—36% US, 27% CARICOM, UK; imports— 34% US, 18% CAR1COM, UK, Canada (1980)
Aid: economic—bilateral commitments including Ex-Im (FY70-80) from US, $9.3 million; (1970-79) ODA and OOF commitments from other Western countries, $52.1 million; no military aid
Budget: (1980) revenues, $223 million; expenditures, $270 million
Monetary conversion rate: 2.01 Barbados dollars=US$1
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: none
Highways: 1,546 km total; 1,450 km paved, and 96 km gravel, and earth
Ports: 1 major (Bridgetown), 2 minor
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft (including 1 leased in)
Airfields: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: islandwide automatic telephone system with 47,000 telephones (17.2 per 100 popl.); tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; UHF/VHF links to St. Vincent and St. Lucia; 2 AM stations, 1 FM station, and 1 TV station; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station
DEFENSE FORCES
Military manpower: males 15-49, 64,000; 45,000 fit for military service; no conscription
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