Barbados

Introduction

Background

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.

Geography

Location

Caribbean, island in 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
country comparison to the world: 202

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

97 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm

Climate

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use

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.)

Irrigated land

50 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas

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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

easternmost Caribbean island

People and Society

Population

293,131 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Nationality

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups

African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, white 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.)

Languages

English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings)

Religions

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.)

Age structure

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:

Dependency ratios

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.)

Median age

total: 38.9 years (2018 est.)
male: 37.8 years
female: 40.1 years
country comparison to the world: 56

Population growth rate

0.26% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176

Birth rate

11.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Death rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Net migration rate

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

Population distribution

most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas

Urbanization

urban population: 31.2% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

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.)

Maternal mortality rate

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Infant mortality rate

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 73.3 years
female: 78.1 years
country comparison to the world: 103

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

Contraceptive prevalence rate

59.2% (2012)

Drinking water source

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.)

Current Health Expenditure

7% (2016)

Physicians density

2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

5.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.1% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 67

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.5% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 92

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 76

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.6% (2014)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 17 years (2011)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 29.6%
male: 27.9%
female: 31.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Government

Country name

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

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

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

30 November 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution

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)

Legal system

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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

Legislative branch

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

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

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]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Flag description

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)

National symbol(s)

Neptune's trident, pelican, Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados); national colors: blue, yellow, black

National anthem

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"

Economy

Economy - overview

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$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

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.99 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.2% (2017 est.)
2.3% (2016 est.)
2.2% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,600 (2017 est.)
$18,700 (2016 est.)
$18,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 95

Gross national saving

7.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
11.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
10.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

GDP - composition, by end use

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.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 9.8% (2017 est.)
services: 88.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Industries

tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate

2.4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119

Labor force

144,000 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 10%
industry: 15%
services: 75% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.1% (2017 est.)
9.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141

Population below poverty line

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Budget

revenues: 1.466 billion(2013 est.) (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.664 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Public debt

157.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
149.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2017 est.)
1.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Central bank discount rate

7% (2017)
7% (31 December 2016)
country comparison to the world: 47

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.1% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.05% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Stock of narrow money

$2.47 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.381 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

Stock of broad money

$2.47 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.381 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135

Stock of domestic credit

$6.184 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.871 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

Market value of publicly traded shares

$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

Current account balance

-$189 million (2017 est.)
-$206 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96

Exports

$485.4 million (2017 est.)
$516.9 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176

Exports - partners

US 38%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Guyana 5.5%, Jamaica 5%, China 4.8%, St. Lucia 4.6% (2017)

Exports - commodities

manufactures, sugar, molasses, rum, other foodstuffs and beverages, chemicals, electrical components

Imports

$1.52 billion (2017 est.)
$1.541 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners

US 38.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.6%, China 7.1%, UK 4.7% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$264.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$341.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Debt - external

$4.49 billion (2010 est.)
$668 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

Exchange rates

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

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

1.01 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - consumption

990 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - installed generating capacity

269,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - from fossil fuels

93% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Crude oil - production

1,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90

Crude oil - exports

674 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Crude oil - proved reserves

2.534 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Refined petroleum products - imports

10,630 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

Natural gas - production

14.16 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - consumption

19.82 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - imports

5.653 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - proved reserves

141.6 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.76 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 139,645
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 48 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 337,791
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Telephone system

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)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.bb

Internet users

total: 231,883
percent of population: 79.5% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 89,340
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Royal Barbados Defense Force: The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service, or earlier with parental consent; no conscription (2013)

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

8P (2016)

Airports

1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 213

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 (2019)
over 3,047 m: 1

Pipelines

33 km gas, 64 km oil, 6 km refined products (2013)

Roadways

total: 1,700 km (2015)
paved: 1,700 km (2015)
country comparison to the world: 169

Merchant marine

total: 121
by type: bulk carrier 21, general cargo 82, other 18 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 76

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Bridgetown

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Flag of Barbados