The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. African slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island, which initially dominated the Caribbean sugar industry. By 1720 Barbados was no longer a dominant force within the sugar industry, having been surpassed by the Leeward Islands and Jamaica. Slavery was abolished in 1834. The Barbadian economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
13 10 N, 59 32 W
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 202
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
97 km
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
petroleum, fish, natural gas
agricultural land: 32.6% (2016 est.)
arable land: 25.6% (2016 est.)/permanent crops: 2.3% (2016 est.)/permanent pasture: 4.7% (2016 est.)
forest: 19.4% (2016 est.)
other: 48% (2016 est.)
50 sq km (2012)
most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
easternmost Caribbean island
293,131 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, white 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.)
English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings)
Protestant 66.4% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.)
0-14 years: 17.8%(male 26,084 /female 26,090)
15-24 years: 12.53%(male 18,236 /female 18,479)
25-54 years: 43.69%(male 63,829 /female 64,249)
55-64 years: 13.62%(male 18,888 /female 21,043)
65 years and over: 12.36%(male 14,705 /female 21,528) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 50.4 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 29.1 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 21.3 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.7 (2015 est.)
total: 38.9 years (2018 est.)
male: 37.8 years
female: 40.1 years
country comparison to the world: 56
0.26% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
11.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas
urban population: 31.2% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 134
total population: 75.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 73.3 years
female: 78.1 years
country comparison to the world: 103
1.68 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
59.2% (2012)
improved: urban: 99.7% of population
rural: 99.7% of population
total: 99.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population
rural: 0.3% of population
total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)
7% (2016)
2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
5.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)
improved: urban: 96.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 96.2% of population (2015 est.)
total: 96.2% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)
total: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)
1.5% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
3,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
<100 (2018 est.)
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus
23.1% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 67
3.5% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 92
4.7% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 76
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2014)
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2011)
total: 29.6%
male: 27.9%
female: 31.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados
etymology: the name derives from the Portuguese "as barbadas," which means "the bearded ones" and can refer either to the long, hanging roots of the island's bearded fig trees or to the alleged beards of the native Carib inhabitants
parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
name: Bridgetown
geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after a bridge constructed over the swampy area (known as the Careenage) around the Constitution River that flows through the center of Bridgetown
11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
30 November 1966 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
history: adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the organization and authorities of the branches of government requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament; passage of other amendments only requires a majority vote of both houses; amended several times, last in 2010 (2018)
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sandra MASON (since 8 January 2018)
head of government: Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 25 May 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at the discretion of the governor general)
House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last appointments on 5 June 2018 (next appointments NA)
House of Assembly - last held on 24 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results:
Senate - appointed; composition - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8%
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - BLP 74.6%, DLP 22.6%, other 2.8%; seats by party - BLP 30; composition - men 24, women 6, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.6%
note: tradition dictates that the election is held within 5 years of the last election, but constitutionally it is 5 years from the first seating of Parliament plus a 90-day grace period
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the High Court chief justice and president of the court and 4 justices; note - in 2005, Barbados acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister and opposition leader of Parliament; other justices appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 5-member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court chief justice, the commission head, and governor general appointees recommended by the prime minister; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts
Bajan Free Party [Alex MITCHELL]
Barbados Integrity Movement [Neil HOLDER]
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Freundel STUART]
People’s Democratic Congress [Mark ADAMSON]
People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG]
Solutions Barbados [Grenville PHILLIPS II]
United Progressive Party or UPP [Lynette EASTMOND]
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Ambassador Selwin Charles HART (since 18 January 2017)
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda S. TAGLIALATELA (since 1 February 2016) note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
telephone: [1] (246) 227-4000
embassy: Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, W.I.
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown BB 11000; (Department Name) Unit 3120, DPO AA 34055
FAX: [1] (246) 431-0179
three equal vertical bands of ultramarine blue (hoist side), gold, and ultramarine blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Neptune's trident, pelican, Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados); national colors: blue, yellow, black
name: The National Anthem of Barbados
lyrics/music: Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS
note: adopted 1966; the anthem is also known as "In Plenty and In Time of Need"
Barbados is the wealthiest and one of the most developed countries in the Eastern Caribbean and enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, in recent years the economy has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, boosted by being in the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and by a relatively highly educated workforce. Following the 2008-09 recession, external vulnerabilities such as fluctuations in international oil prices have hurt economic growth, raised Barbados' already high public debt to GDP ratio - which stood at 105% of GDP in 2016 - and cut into its international reserves.
$5.218 billion (2017 est.)
$5.227 billion (2016 est.)
$5.111 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 178
$4.99 billion (2017 est.)
-0.2% (2017 est.)
2.3% (2016 est.)
2.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
$18,600 (2017 est.)
$18,700 (2016 est.)
$18,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 95
7.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
11.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
10.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
household consumption: 84.2% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 13.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 31.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -47% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 1.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 9.8% (2017 est.)
services: 88.7% (2017 est.)
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
2.4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
144,000 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
agriculture: 10%
industry: 15%
services: 75% (1996 est.)
10.1% (2017 est.)
9.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
NA
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
revenues: 1.466 billion(2013 est.) (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.664 billion (2017 est.)
29.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
-4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
157.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
149.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
1 April - 31 March
4.4% (2017 est.)
1.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
7% (2017)
7% (31 December 2016)
country comparison to the world: 47
8.1% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.05% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
$2.47 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.381 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$2.47 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.381 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$6.184 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.871 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$4.495 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$4.571 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$4.366 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
-$189 million (2017 est.)
-$206 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$485.4 million (2017 est.)
$516.9 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
US 38%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Guyana 5.5%, Jamaica 5%, China 4.8%, St. Lucia 4.6% (2017)
manufactures, sugar, molasses, rum, other foodstuffs and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
$1.52 billion (2017 est.)
$1.541 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
US 38.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.6%, China 7.1%, UK 4.7% (2017)
$264.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$341.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
$4.49 billion (2010 est.)
$668 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar -
2 (2017 est.)
2 (2016 est.)
2 (2015 est.)
2 (2014 est.)
2 (2013 est.)
note: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
1.01 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
990 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
0 kWh (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
269,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
93% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
1,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
674 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
2.534 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
11,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
10,630 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
14.16 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
19.82 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
5.653 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
141.6 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
1.76 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
total subscriptions: 139,645
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
total subscriptions: 337,791
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
general assessment: island-wide automatic telephone system; telecom sector across the Caribbean region remains one of the key growth areas; numerous competitors licensed, but small and localized (2018)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 48 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density about 116 per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 1-246; landing points for the ECFS and Southern Caribbean Fiber submarine cable with links to 15 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad and Puerto Ricco; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2019)
government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial TV station; CBC also operates a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen radio stations, consisting of a CBC-operated network operating alongside privately owned radio stations
.bb
total: 231,883
percent of population: 79.5% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
total: 89,340
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Royal Barbados Defense Force: The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2019)
18 years of age for voluntary military service, or earlier with parental consent; no conscription (2013)
8P (2016)
1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 213
total: 1 (2019)
over 3,047 m: 1
33 km gas, 64 km oil, 6 km refined products (2013)
total: 1,700 km (2015)
paved: 1,700 km (2015)
country comparison to the world: 169
total: 121
by type: bulk carrier 21, general cargo 82, other 18 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 76
major seaport(s): Bridgetown
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center