Agriculture:
accounts for about 40% of GDP, 70% of employment, and one-third of exports;
imports 10% of food grain requirements; world's largest exporter of jute;
commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef,
milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton; fish
catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $11.65 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $6.52 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5
billion
Currency:
taka (plural - taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
Exchange rates:
taka (Tk) per US$1 - 38.800 (January 1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990),
32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
:Bangladesh Communications
Railroads:
2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad
gauge
Highways:
7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
Inland waterways:
5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo
routes)
Pipelines:
natural gas 1,220 km
Ports:
Chittagong, Chalna
Merchant marine:
44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 328,382 GRT/479,985 DWT; includes 36
cargo, 2 petroleum tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 3 bulk
Civil air:
15 major transport aircraft
Airports:
16 total, 12 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair
domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 241,250
telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
satellite earth stations
:Bangladesh Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary forces - Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh
Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Coastal Police
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 29,891,224; 17,745,343 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $339 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92 budget)
:Barbados Geography
Total area:
430 km2
Land area:
430 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
97 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain:
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources:
crude oil, fishing, natural gas
Land use:
arable land 77%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 14%
Environment:
subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)
Note:
easternmost Caribbean island
:Barbados People
Population:
254,934 (July 1992), growth rate 0.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
16 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
9 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
—6 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
22 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
70 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.8 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Barbadian(s); adjective - Barbadian
Ethnic divisions:
African 80%, mixed 16%, European 4%
Religions:
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%),
Roman Catholic 4%; none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages:
English
Literacy:
99% (male 99%, female 99%) age 15 and over having ever attended school
(1970)
Labor force:
120,900 (1991); services and government 37%; commerce 22%; manufacturing and
construction 22%; transportation, storage, communications, and financial
institutions 9%; agriculture 8%; utilities 2% (1985 est.)
Organized labor:
32% of labor force
:Barbados Government
Long-form name:
none
Type:
parliamentary democracy
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 - there may be a new city of Bridgetown
Independence:
30 November 1966 (from UK)
Constitution:
30 November 1966
Legal system:
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
National