Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General Prime minister: Denzil Douglas
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general. Prime minister : Freundel Stuart
Population
50,726
287,733
Life Expectancy
74.840 years
74.520 years
Capital City
Bridgetown
Largest city
Basseterre (population: 12,920)
Bridgetown (population: 98,511)
Human Development Index
0.83
0.889
GDP per capita
$23,700 US
Literacy Rate
97.8%
99.7%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
6.7%
13.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
12.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
parliamentary democracy
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
30 November 1966 (from UK)
Religions
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
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
English
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
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Area
261 km sq
430 km sq
Coastline
135 km
97 km
Climate
tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
