The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

petroleum, fish, natural gas

      Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       10 sq km (1998 est.)

      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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island

      People Barbados

      Population:

       278,289 (July 2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 21% (male 29,294; female 29,020)

       15–64 years: 70.3% (male 95,675; female 99,864)

       65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,370; female 15,066) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 33.7 years

       male: 32.6 years

       female: 34.9 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       0.36% (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      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 (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 10.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 71.64 years

       male: 69.51 years

       female: 73.81 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       1.5% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       2,500 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       less than 200 (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

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

       total population: 97.4%

       male: 98%

       female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

      Government Barbados

      Country name:

       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 Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May

       2003)

       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; following legislative elections, the

       leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition

       is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the

       prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

      Legislative branch:

       bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body

       appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30

       seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year

       terms)

       elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be

       held by May 2008)

       election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;

       seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

      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]

      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]