Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general. Prime minister : Freundel Stuart
Population
11,689,696
287,733
Life Expectancy
58.440 years
74.520 years
Capital City
Bridgetown
Largest city
Kigali (population: 745,261)
Bridgetown (population: 98,511)
Human Development Index
0.435
0.889
GDP per capita
$23,700 US
Literacy Rate
70.4%
99.7%
Corruption Perception Index
3
7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
50.9%
13.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
12.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
republic; presidential, multiparty system
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
30 November 1966 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
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.)
Languages
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
English
Exports
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
External Debt
$668,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Area
26,338 km sq
430 km sq
Coastline
0 km
97 km
Climate
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
