Barbados

Barbados is located in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is an island nation on the east of the Caribbean Sea in the southern Caribbean region. Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Saint Lucia to the west are the closest islands of the island nation. Trinidad and Tobago is situated to the south of Barbados. The island is situated at the northeast of Venezuela. Bridgetown is the capital city, located at 13 06 N, 59 37 W. In the human development index, the country always ranks among the first 50 countries of the world.


HISTORY:- The Arawak Indians were thought to be the original inhabitants of the region. Contact with the European nations was set up when the Portuguese first explored the land. During 1500s to the 1600s, the Portuguese ruled Barbados. The British settled their colonies in 1627 and held their control over the region until 1966. Slaves were brought from Africa for the huge sugar plantation. In 1816, a slave mutiny took place and slavery was abolished in 1834 by the British government. The country was the administrative headquarters of the Windward Islands. But in 1885, it became a separate colony. It joined the Federation of the West Indies with 9 nine other countries in 1958 and remained with the merger until 1962. The Federation was ended and Barbados became an autonomous colony. Finally Barbados gained independence in 30th November, 1966 within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

GEOGRAPHY:- The island nation is located at 13 10 N, 59 32 W in the North Atlantic Ocean. The total land area the country possess is 431 sq km. The coastline is 97 km long. The terrain is relatively flat, which rises gently to central highland plateau. The island is mainly composed of corals and coral reefs. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is Mount Hillaby (336 m). Landslides often cause hazards to the land. It is located outside the principal hurricane strike zone, thereby it is less affected by hurricanes- once in 26 years.

 

CLIMATE:- The climate is mostly tropical with two main seasons- dry season and wet season. The country has an average annual rainfall of 40-90 inches.

 

GOVERNMENT:- Barbados has Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy. The constitution was adopted on 30th November 1966. The legal system is based on the British common codes. The government is divided into three major branches. These branches and their offices are described below:

Executive branch is consisted of the chief of state (Queen), head of government (Prime Minister) and cabinet. The Queen appoints the Governor General. The Queen is represented by the Governor General, who appoints the cabinet ministers with the advice of the Prime minister.

Legislative branch is consisted of the bicameral Parliament, which is divided into the Senate (21 seats) and the House of Assembly (30 seats).

Judicial branch is consisted of the Supreme Court.

Democratic Labour Party is the ruling party and other prominent large political party is the Barbados Labour Party. Voting rights are universal over and at 18.

Monarch  Elizabeth II

Governor-General Clifford Husbands

Prime Minister David Thompson

 

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Barbados is decomposed into 11 parishes:

Christ Church

Saint Andrew

Saint George

Saint James

Saint John

Saint Joseph

Saint Lucy

Saint Michael

Saint Peter

Saint Philip

Saint Thomas

 

CULTURE:- English influence is very much prominent in Barbadian culture. The land is often called the ‘Little England’ by the neighbouring countries. Crop Over is a festival, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is a carnival like festival. It ends with the parade on Kadooment Day on the first Monday day of August. Cricket is the most popular sport in the land. Barbados has produced legendary cricketers like Garfield Sobers and Frank Worrell.

 

ECONOMY:- With manufacturing, light industry and tourism, the economy of Barbados is heading towards a planned growth. Offshore finance and information services are also important in the development of Barbados economy.

GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $4.841 billion; per capita: $17,400.

Real growth rate: 2.5%.

Inflation: –0.5% (2003 est.).

Unemployment: 10.7% (2003 est.).

Arable land: 37.21%. Agriculture: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton.

Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.); services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.).

Budget:  

Revenues: $847 million (including grants)

Expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)

Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export. Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas.

Exports: $209 million (2004 est): sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components.

Imports: $1.476 billion (2004 est.): consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components.

Major trading partners: U.S., UK, Trindad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Japan (2004).

Monetary unit: Barbados dollar

 

LANGUAGE:- English is the official language but Barbadian Dialect is recognized as the regional language.

 

CITIES:- Capital Bridgetown city is the largest city. Holetown, Oistins, Speightstown are other important cities of Barbados.

 

POPULATION:- The estimated population of Barbados is 281,968 with a growth rate of 0.3%.

Density per sq mi: 654

Literacy rate: 97% (1995 est.)

 

RACE:-

Black 90%

White 4%

Asian and mixed 6%

 

RELIGION:-

Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%)

Roman Catholic 4%

None 17%

Other 12%

 

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 12.48 births/ 1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 8.58 deaths/ 1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 11.05 deaths/ 1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.21 years

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 1,102

 

UNICEF:- UNICEF in the nation is focusing on the child protection on the issues like adoption of children, the legal status of children, advocacy and juvenile justice. UNICEF is rigorously working to set back teenage mothers to school to complete their education. Awareness campaigns are organized to make the youth aware on the HIV as well as sample lessons are tested in pilot school of Barbados. UNICEF also fights against child labour, and violence against children.

 

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: 0 km.

Highways: total: 1,600 km; paved: 1,600 km (2003).

Ports and harbors: Bridgetown.

Airports: 1 (2005).

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