The 1997 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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СКАЧАТЬ name: conventional long form : none conventional short form: Barbados

      Data code: BB

      Government type: parliamentary democracy

      National capital: Bridgetown

      Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,

       Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint

       Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

       note: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status

      Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)

      National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

      Constitution: 30 November 1966

      Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government : Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor general

      Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections : House of Assembly - last held 6 September 1994 (next to be held by January 1999) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service

      Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David

       THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National

       Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union [Leroy

       TROTMAN]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Workers' Party

       of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David

       COMMISSIONG]

      International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC,

       FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

       IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM,

       OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

       WTrO

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney N. BLACKMAN chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939–9218, 9219 FAX: [1] (202) 332–7467 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York consulate(s): Los Angeles

      Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanette W. HYDE embassy : Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055 telephone : [1] (246) 436–4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429–5246

      Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

      Economy

      Economy - overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in recent years the production has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996. The industry generated $331.8 million by the end of June and was expected to double by the end of the year. Prime Minister Owen ARTHUR called for "prudent" financial management to ensure that economic growth would continue. As part of his plan, the Prime Minister introduced a controversial Value Added Tax (VAT) in an effort to reform the tax administration process. The VAT will be administered at 15% for most industries and 7% for the tourism industry. The government has also continued its efforts to promote regional integration initiatives, to reduce the unacceptably high unemployment rate, and to encourage direct foreign investment.

      GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.65 billion (1996 est.)

      GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1996 est.)

      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,300 (1996 est.)

      GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 39.3% services: 54.3% (1994)

      Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.8% (1995)

      Labor force: total: 126,000 (1993) by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%, manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage, communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%, utilities 2% (1992 est.)

      Unemployment rate: 16.2% (1996)

      Budget: revenues: $550 million expenditures: $710 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (FY95/96 est.)

      Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

      Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (1995)

      Electricity - capacity: 153,000 kW (1995)

      Electricity - production: 644 million kWh (1995)

      Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,208 kWh (1995 est.)

      Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

      Exports: total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing partners: US 13%, UK 10%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Windward Islands 8%

      Imports: total value: $763 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components partners: US 36%, UK 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%

      Debt - external: $359 million (December 1996)

      Economic aid: $NA

      Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents

      Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars (Bds$) per US$1 - 2.0113 (fixed rate)

      Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

      @Barbados:Communications

      Telephones: 87,343 (1991 est.)

      Telephone СКАЧАТЬ