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); also "Bajan(s)." Population (2003 estimate): 276, 607 (WF). Avg. annual growth rate (2001): 0.4%.
Ethnic groups: Black 90%, White 4%, Asian or mixed 6% (WF).
Religions: Protestant
67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman
Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% (WF).
Language: English.
Education: Attendance--primary school 100%, secondary school 93%. Adult literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (1998)--7.8/1,000. Life expectancy--70.9 yrs. (WF) men; 76.12 yrs. women (2002 est. WF).
Work force (2001, 142,000): Commerce, tourism, government, manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, fishing.
Unemployment (2001): 9.9%.

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), privy council in London.
Subdivisions: Eleven parishes and the city of Bridgetown.
Political parties: Barbados Labor Party (BLP, incumbent), Democratic Labor Party (DLP), National Democratic Party (NDP).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy
GDP (in U.S. $billions): $2.6.
Gross domestic savings ratio (2001): 13.4%.
GDP growth rate (2002): -0.4%.
Per capita GDP (2002): $12,000.
Average inflation rate (2002): 20.17%.
Natural resources: Petroleum, Fishing, natural gas.
Agriculture (4% of GDP): Sugar accounts for 2.4% of GDP and 80% of arable land.
Industry: Manufacturing and construction (17% of GDP)--food, beverages, textiles, paper, chemicals, fabricated products.
Services: (76% of GDP) Tourism, banking and other financial services, Informatics (data processing).
Trade (2001): Exports--$259 million. Major markets--U.S. 17%, CARICOM 45%, U.K. 14%, and Canada 3%. Imports--$1,068 million. Major suppliers--U.S. 42%, U.K. 8%, Canada 4%, CARICOM 15%.
Official exchange rate: Barbados dollars (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 the1960s, largely due
to family planning efforts and a high emigration rate.

HISTORY
British
sailors who landed on Barbados in the 1620s at the site of present-day
Holetown on the Caribbean coast found the island uninhabited. As
elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, Arawak Indians may have been
annihilated by invading Caribs, who are believed to have subsequently
abandoned the island.

From the arrival of the
first British settlers in 1627-28 until independence in 1966, Barbados
was a self-funding colony under uninterrupted British rule.
Nevertheless, Barbados always enjoyed a large measure of local
autonomy. Its House of Assembly, which began meeting in 1639, is the
third-oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, preceded only
by Bermuda's legislature and the Virginia House of Burgesses.

As the sugar industry
developed into the main commercial enterprise, Barbados was divided
into large plantation estates, which replace the small holdings of the
early British settlers. Some of the displaced farmers relocated to
British colonies in North America. To work the plantations, slaves were
brought from Africa; the slave trade ceased a few years before the
abolition of slavery throughout the British empire in 1834.

Plantation owners and
merchants of British descent dominated local politics. It was not until
the 1930s that the descendants of emancipated slaves began a movement
for political rights. One of the leaders of this movement, Sir Grantley
Adams, founded the Barbados Labor Party in 1938. Progress toward more
democratic government for Barbados was made in 1951, when the first
general election under universal adult suffrage occurred. This was
followed by steps toward increased self-government, and in 1961,
Barbados achieved internal autonomy.

From 1958 to 1962, Barbados
was one of 10 members of the West Indies Federation, and Sir Grantley
Adams served as its first and only prime minister. When the federation
was terminated, Barbados reverted to its former status as a
self-governing colony. Following several attempts to form another
federation composed of Barbados and the Leeward and Windward Islands,
Barbados negotiated its own independence at a constitutional conference
with the United Kingdom in June 1966. After years of peaceful and
democratic progress, Barbados became an independent state within the
British Commonwealth on November 30, 1966.

Under its constitution,
Barbados is a parliamentary democracy modeled on the British system.
The governor general represents the monarch. Control of the government
rests with the cabinet, headed by the prime minister and responsible to
the Parliament.

The bicameral Parliament
consists of the House of Assembly and Senate. The 30 members of the
House are elected by universal suffrage to 5-year terms. Elections may
be called at any time the government wishes to seek a new mandate or if
the government suffers a vote of no-confidence in Parliament, with a
5-year maximum duration for Parliament. The Senate's 21 members are
appointed by the governor general -- 12 with the advice of the prime
minister, two with the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
seven at the governor general's discretion to represent segments of the
community.

Barbados has an independent
judiciary composed of magistrate courts, which are statutorily
authorized, and a Supreme Court, which is constitutionally mandated.
The Supreme Court consists of the high court and the court of appeals,
each with four judges. The Chief Justice serves on both the high court
and the court of appeals. The court of last resort is the Judicial
Committee of Her Majesty's Privy Council in London, whose decisions are
binding on all parties. Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by
the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister after
consultation with the leader of the opposition.

The island is divided into
11 parishes and the city of Bridgetown for administrative purposes.
There is no local government. Barbados' defense expenditures account
for about 2.5% of the government budget.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The
three political parties--the Barbados Labor Party (BLP), the Democratic
Labor Party (DLP), and the semi-defunct National Democratic Party
(NDP)--are all moderate and have no major ideological differences;
electoral contests and political disputes often have personal
overtones. The major political problems facing Barbados today are in
promoting economic growth: creating jobs, encouraging agricultural
diversification, attracting foreign investment, and promoting tourism.

The ruling BLP was
decisively returned to power in May 2003 elections, winning 23 seats in
the Parliament with the DLP gaining seven seats. The Prime
Minister, Owen Arthur, who also serves as Minister of Finance and
Minister of Culture, has given a high priority to economic development
and diversification. The main opposition party, the DLP, is led
by Sen. Clyde Mascoll, who was elected President of the DLP in
2001, as part of a party reorganization.

Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General--Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands
Prime Minister--Owen Arthur
Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS--Michael King
Ambassador to the UN--June Clark

Barbados maintains an embassy
in the United States located at 2144 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20008 (tel. 202-939-9200), a consulate general in New York City at 800
2nd Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-867-8435), and a
consulate general in Miami at 150 Alhambra Circle, Suite 1270, Coral
Gables, FL33134 (tel. 305-442-1994).

ECONOMY
Since
independence, Barbados has transformed itself from a low-income economy
dependent upon sugar production to a middle-income economy based on
tourism. The economy went into a deep recession in 1990 after 3 years
of steady decline brought on by fundamental macroeconomic imbalances.
After a painful readjustment process, the economy began to grow again
in 1993. Growth rates averaged between 3%-5% since then until 2001,
when the economy contracted 2.8%. As 2004 nears, there are signs of a
gradual economic recovery.

The main factors
responsible for the decline in economic activity include a decrease in
the number of tourist arrivals following September 11 events, the
general global economic downturn, and the impact of a depreciated Euro
on sugar exports. Offshore banking and financial services have become
an increasingly important source of foreign exchange and economic
growth.

By year-end 2001, the
recession led to a rise in unemployment, led by net decreases in
employment in the tourism sector, as well as in construction and
manufacturing sectors. The public service remains Barbados'
largest-single employer. The employed labor force totaled 128,600
persons at the end of 2001, and the unemployed labor force expanded
from 13,000 in 2000 to 14,000 in 2001. At the end of 2001, 62,900
persons were economically inactive. Unemployment rose in 2002 to 10.3%,
but is still significantly lower than the 20% levels of the early
1990s.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
As
a small nation, the primary thrust of Barbados' diplomatic activity has
been within international organizations. The island is a member of the
Commonwealth and participates in its activities. Barbados was admitted
to the United Nations in December 1966. Barbados joined the
Organization of American States (OAS) in 1967.

On July 4, 1973, Barbados,
Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica signed a treaty in Trinidad to
found the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM). In May 1974,
most of the remaining English-speaking Caribbean states joined CARICOM,
which now has 14 members. Barbados also is a member of the Caribbean
Development Bank, established in 1970, with headquarters in Bridgetown.
The eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System, which associates
Barbados with six other island nations, also is headquartered in
Barbados. In July 1994, Barbados joined the newly established
Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

As a member of CARICOM,
Barbados supported efforts by the United States to implement UN
Security Council Resolution 940, designed to facilitate the departure
of Haiti's de facto authorities from power. The country agreed to
contribute personnel to the multinational force, which restored the
democratically elected government of Haiti in October 1994.

In May 1997, Prime Minister
Owen Arthur hosted President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders
during the first-ever U.S.-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The
summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and
counternarcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.

Barbados has diplomatic
missions headed by resident ambassadors or high commissioners in
Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela, and at the European Union
(Brussels) and the UN. It also has resident consuls general in Toronto,
Miami, and New York City. Brazil, Canada, Colombia, China,
Guatemala, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela have ambassadors or high
commissioners resident in Barbados.

U.S.-BARBADIAN RELATIONS
In
1751, George Washington visited Barbados, making what is believed to
have been his only trip abroad. The U.S. Government has been
represented on Barbados since 1824. From 1956 to 1978, the U.S.
operated a naval facility in Barbados.

The U.S. and Barbados have
had friendly bilateral relations since Barbados' independence in 1966.
The U.S. has supported the government's efforts to expand the country's
economic base and to provide a higher standard of living for its
citizens. Barbados is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin
Initiative. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through multilateral
agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank,
and the recently opened USAID Caribbean Regional Program office in
Bridgetown.

Barbados also receives
substantial counternarcotics assistance and is eligible to benefit
from the U.S. military's exercise-related and humanitarian
assistance construction program.

Barbados and U.S.
authorities cooperate closely in the fight against narcotics
trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. In 1996, the U.S.
and Barbados signed a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) and an
updated extradition treaty covering all common offenses, including
conspiracy and organized crime. A maritime law enforcement agreement
was signed in 1997. Barbados is the headquarters of the Regional
Security System (RSS), which involves the Coast Guards of the OECS. It
is currently supported by U.S. funding but is due to evolve into a
regionally funded organization according to an agreed schedule.

A popular tourist
destination, Barbados had over one million total tourists in
2002, mainly cruise ship visitors. The majority of tourists are
from the U.K., the Caribbean, or the U.S. Approximately 140,000
Americans visited the island last year. An estimated 3,000
Americans reside in the country.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Mary E. Kramer
Deputy Chief of Mission--Meg Gilroy
Political/Economic Counselor--Paul Belmont
Consul General--Bob Fretz
Regional Labor Attaché--Al Anzaldua
Economic-Commercial Affairs--John Ashworth
Public Affairs Officer--Julie O'Reagan
Peace Corps Director--Earl Phillips

The U.S. Embassy in
Barbados is located in the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building,
Broad Street, Bridgetown (tel: 246-436-4950;fax: 246-429-5246).

Other Contact Information
U.S. Department of Commerce
International Trade Administration
Office of Latin America and the Caribbean
14th & Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: 202-482-1658, 800-USA-Trade
Fax: 202-482-0464

Caribbean/Latin American Action
1818 N Street, NW
Suite 310
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-466-7464
Fax: 202-822-0075

Eastern Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 111
St. Michael, Barbados
Tel: 246-436-9493
Fax:246-43-9494
Email: ecamcham@cariaccess.com
Website: www.ecamcham.org 

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The
U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements

are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free
copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of
Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are
available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov.
Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain
information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are
on the Internet and hard copies can be purchased from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.

Emergency information concerning
Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas
Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies,
Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.

The National Passport Information Center
(NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT
(1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for
TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern
Time, excluding federal holidays.

Travelers can check the latest health
information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web
site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions
and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International
Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.

Information on travel conditions, visa
requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and
other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your
departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for
this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).

U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register their travel via the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov

or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a
country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of their
passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an
emergency.


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