telephone: [1] (202) 939–9218, 9219
FAX: [1] (202) 332–7467
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation:
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] (809) 436–4950
FAX: [1] (809) 429–5246
Flag: 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———
Economic overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy has been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Sluggish performances in the sugar and tourism sectors - which declined by 25% and 8% respectively - tempered economic expansion in 1995; output increased by 2% for the year, down from nearly 4% in 1994. Improved weather conditions in 1995 are expected to boost agriculture output in 1996. Since taking office in 1994, Prime Minister ARTHUR has aggressively moved to promote foreign direct investment as part of a policy designed to reduce nagging unemployment. The government has also been active in promoting regional integration initiatives.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $9,800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 39.3% services: 54.3% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 126,000 (1993) by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: 19.9% (September 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $550 million
expenditures: $710 million, including capital expenditures of $86
million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component
assembly for export
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 152,100 kW production: 510 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,841 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Exports: $158.6 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,
chemicals, electrical components, clothing
partners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%
Imports: $693 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction
materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%
External debt: $408 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Transportation———————
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,550 km paved: 1,550 km
Ports: Bridgetown
Merchant marine:
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 183,937 GRT/271,707 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 21, combination bulk 3, oil tanker 3,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 1 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Communications———————
Telephones: 87,343 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: island wide automatic telephone system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay)
Televisions: 69,350 (1993 est.)
Defense———
Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and
Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15–49: 71,667 males fit for military service: 49,726 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
======================================================================
@Bassas da India———————
(possession of France)
Map—
Location: 21 30 S, 39 50 E—Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Flag——
Description: the flag of France is used
Geography————
Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 0.2 sq km
land area: 0.2 sq km
comparative area: about one-third the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: claimed by Madagascar
Climate: tropical
Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all rock)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: