Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general. Prime minister : Freundel Stuart
Queen: Margrethe II Prime Minister: Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Population
287,733
5,543,453
Life Expectancy
74.520 years
78.780 years
Capital City
Bridgetown
Copenhagen
Largest city
Bridgetown (population: 98,511)
Copenhagen (population: 1,153,620)
Human Development Index
0.889
0.952
GDP per capita
$23,700 US
$37,600 US
Literacy Rate
99.7%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
7
9.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
13.7%
38%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen ($2.1bn US)
Unemployment Rate
12.000%
6.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
30 November 1966 (from UK)
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
Religions
Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%
Languages
English
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language
Exports
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, furniture, windmills
External Debt
$668,000,000 $
$626,900,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.0236 (2008 est.), 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.800%
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
7
Location
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)
Area
430 km sq
43,094 km sq
Coastline
97 km
7,314 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
