PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Barbados

Geography
Area: 431 sq. km. (166 sq. mi.); about three times the size of Washington, DC.
Cities: Capital--Bridgetown.
Terrain: Generally flat, hilly in the interior.
Climate: Tropical.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Barbadian(s); informally "Bajan(s)."
Population (2006 estimate): 279,912.
Annual population growth rate (2005): 0.3%.
Ethnic groups: Predominantly of African descent 90%, White 4%, Asian or mixed 6%.
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%.
Language: English.
Education (2005): Adult literacy--99.7%.
Health (2005): Infant mortality rate--11.0/1,000. Life expectancy--men 70.8 years; women 74.8 years.
Work force (2006): 142,000 (tourism, government, manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, fishing).
Unemployment (2006): 7.6%.

Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth.
Independence: November 30, 1966.
Constitution: 1966.
Branches: Executive--governor general (representing Queen Elizabeth II, head of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Parliament. Judicial--magistrate's courts, Supreme Court (High Court and Court of Appeals), Caribbean Court of Justice in Trinidad and Tobago.
Subdivisions: Eleven parishes and the city of Bridgetown.
Political parties: Barbados Labour Party (BLP, incumbent), Democratic Labour Party (DLP), People's Empowerment Party (PEP).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy
GDP (2006): $2.976 billion.
GDP growth rate (2006): 3.8%.
Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $17,300.
Inflation (2006): 7.6%.
Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, quarrying, natural gas.
Agriculture: Sugar accounts for less than 1% of GDP and 80% of arable land.
Manufacturing and construction: Food, beverages, infrastructure, electronic components, textiles, paper, chemicals.
Services: Tourism, banking and other financial services, and data processing.
Trade (2005): Exports--$359 million (merchandise) and $1.41 billion (commercial services). Major markets--United States (13.4%), European Union (12.4%), Trinidad and Tobago (10.8%), St. Lucia (6.1%), and Jamaica (5%). Imports--$1.6 billion (merchandise) and $636 million (commercial services). Major suppliers--United States (35.9%), Trinidad and Tobago (21.2%), European Union (13.3%), Japan (7.6%), and Canada (3.4%).
Official exchange rate: BDS$2 = U.S. $1.

PEOPLE
About 90% of Barbados' population is of African descent, 4% European descent, and 6% Asian or mixed. About 40% of Barbadians are Anglican, and the rest mostly Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, and Moravian. There also are small Jewish and Muslim communities. Barbados' population growth rate has been very low, less than 1% since the 1960s, largely due to family planning efforts and a high emigration rate.