The 1997 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

expenditures - dollar figure: $481 million (FY95/96)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY95/96)

      Transnational Issues

      Disputes - international: a portion of the boundary with India in dispute; Bangladesh and India signed a treaty 12 December 1996 to share water from the Ganges

      Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries ______________________________________________________________________

      BARBADOS

      @Barbados:Geography

      Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North

       Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

      Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W

      Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

      Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km

      Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

      Land boundaries: 0 km

      Coastline: 97 km

      Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 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: 37% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland : 12% other: 46% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: NA sq km

      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: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity

      Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island

      @Barbados:People

      Population: 258,756 (July 1997 est.)

      Age structure: 0–14 years: 24% (male 31,025; female 30,197) 15–64 years: 66% (male 83,977; female 87,208) 65 years and over : 10% (male 10,002; female 16,347) (July 1997 est.)

      Population growth rate: 0.12% (1997 est.)

      Birth rate: 15.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      Death rate: 8.25 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      Net migration rate: −5.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.6 years male : 71.84 years female: 77.43 years (1997 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (1997 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) adjective: Barbadian

      Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%

      Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)

      Languages: English

      Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.4% male: 98% female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

      @Barbados:Government

      Country name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Barbados

      Data code: BB

      Government type: parliamentary democracy

      National 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 of the UK (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; 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 : House of Assembly - last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service

      Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David

       THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National

       Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union [Leroy

       TROTMAN]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Workers' Party

       of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David

       COMMISSIONG]

      International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,

       FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

       IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM,

       OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

       WTrO

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939–9218, 9219 FAX: [1] (202) 332–7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles

      Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE embassy : Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone : [1] (246) 436–4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429–5246

      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

      Economy - overview: Historically,