STATISTICS: BARBADOS

Barbados Official name: Barbados. Form of government: constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate ; House of Assembly ). Chief of state: British Monarch represented by Governor-General. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Bridgetown. Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 Barbados dollar (BDS$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = BDS$2.01; 1 = BDS$3.42. Demography Population (1998): 265,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 1,597, persons per sq km 617. Urban-rural (1990): urban 37.9%; rural 62.1%. Sex distribution (1996): male 47.86%; female 52.14%. Age breakdown (1996): under 15, 23.8%; 15-29, 25.8%; 30-44, 24.8%; 45-59, 12.8%; 60-74, 7.9%; 75 and over, 4.9%. Population projection: (2000) 266,000; (2010) 270,000. Doubling time: n.a.; doubling time exceeds 100 years. Ethnic composition (1990): black 92.5%; white 3.2%; mixed 2.8%; other 1.5%. Religious affiliation (1990): Anglican 33.0%; other Protestant 29.8%, of which Pentecostal 12.7%, Methodist 5.9%; nonreligious 20.2%; Roman Catholic 4.4%; not stated 2.7%; other 9.9%. Major cities (1990): Bridgetown 6,070 (urban area 85,000); Speightstown, c. 3,500. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1996): 13.3 (world avg. 25.0); (1979) legitimate 26.9%; illegitimate 73.1%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1996): 9.1 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 4.2 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1996): 1.8. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1993): 8.5. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1993): 16.7. Life expectancy at birth (1996): male 71.6 years; female 77.2 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1992): diseases of the circulatory system 366.8; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 178.5; endocrine and metabolic disorders 120.2; accidents, poisonings, and violence 40.3; diseases of the respiratory system 40.0; diseases of the digestive system 28.9; infectious and parasitic diseases 19.0; diseases of the nervous system 17.1. National economy Budget (1996-97). Revenue: BDS$1,231,064,000{1} (tax revenue 91.9%, of which goods and services taxes 39.1%, personal income and company taxes 32.3%, import duties 7.4%; nontax revenue 8.1%). Expenditures: BDS$1,359,104,000 (current expenditure 83.5%, of which education 18.1%, health 11.8%, economic services 10.4%, social security and welfare 8.2%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1995): raw sugar 38,500, sweet potatoes 5,202, yams 2,570, lettuce 1,909, cabbage 1,823, onions 1,804, cucumbers 1,428, carrots 1,305, tomatoes 1,153, pumpkins 1,080, cassava 818; livestock (number of live animals; 1993) 66,000 sheep, 45,000 pigs, 38,000 goats, 33,000 cattle; roundwood, n.a.; fish catch 3,286. Manufacturing (value added in BDS$'000; 1995): food, beverages, and tobacco (mostly sugar, molasses, rum, beer, and cigarettes) 108,000; paper products, printing, and publishing 33,400; metal products and assembly-type goods (mostly electronic components) 28,000; textiles and wearing apparel 11,700. Construction (value added in BDS$; 1996): 151,400,000. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 571,000,000 (571,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) 452,000 (1,909,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1996) 255,000 (314,000); natural gas (cu m; 1994) 22,065,000 (22,065,000). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1990) 3.5; income per household (1988) BDS$13,455 (U.S.$6,690); sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1994): food 39.4%, housing 16.8%, transportation 10.5%, household operations 8.1%, alcohol and tobacco 6.4%, fuel and light 5.2%, clothing and footwear 5.0%, other 8.6%. Population economically active (1996): total 135,800; activity rate of total population 51.5% (participation rates: ages 15 and over, 67.6%; female 61.9%; unemployed 15.8%). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$295,131,000,000 (U.S.$8,380 per capita). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$381,600,000. Tourism: receipts from visitors (1995) U.S.$680,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad (1993) U.S.$52,000,000. Foreign trade{2} Imports (1996): BDS$1,667,287,000 (retained imports 92.0%, of which machinery 17.8%, food and beverages 15.6%, construction materials 6.8%, chemicals 6.4%, fuels 5.4%; reexported imports 8.0%). Major import sources (1996): U.S. 40.5%; Trinidad and Tobago 10.8%; U.K. 8.4%; Canada 5.1%; Jamaica 1.6%. Exports (1996): BDS$556,690,000 (domestic exports 76.3%, of which sugar 12.8%, chemicals 9.8%, electrical components 9.7%, rum 2.1%, margarine and lard 2.1%, clothing 1.4%; reexports 23.7%). Major export destinations (1996): U.K. 16.8%; U.S. 13.5%; Jamaica 7.5%; Trinidad and Tobago 6.3%; Canada 4.4%; St. Lucia 3.8%; Guyana 2.9%. Transport Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1995): total length 1,000 mi, 1,610 km (paved 95%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 43,711; trucks and buses 10,583{3}. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 37; total deadweight tonnage 84,000. Air transport (1995): passenger arrivals 699,000, passenger departures 707,400; cargo unloaded 8,382 metric tons, cargo loaded 4,717 metric tons; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 1. Education and health Educational attainment (1990). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 0.4%; primary education 23.7%; secondary 60.3%{4}; higher 11.2%; other 4.4%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 97.4%; males literate 98.0%; females literate 96.8%. Health (1992): physicians 312 (1 per 842 persons); hospital beds 1,966 (1 per 134 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1996) 14.2. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 3,207 (vegetable products 74%, animal products 26%); 133% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 610 (army 82.0%, navy 18.0%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 0.8% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$50. {1} Current revenue only. {2} Import figures are f.o.b. in balance of trade and c.i.f. in commodities and trading partners. {3} Includes taxis. {4} Includes composite senior.