The World Factbook (1982)/Barbados

by the Central Intelligence Agency

BARBADOS

(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