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Barbados Government Facts |
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| Country
Name |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados |
| General |
Area: 430 sq km; 166 sq mi
Population: 274,000 (June 2006)
Capital City: Bridgetown
People: About 80% of Barbados's population are of African descent, 4% European descent, and 16% mixed. Barbados's population growth rate has been very low, less than 1% since the 1960s.
Languages: English
Religion(s): Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other (e.g. also small Jewish and Muslim communities) 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, other 12%, none 17%.
Currency: Barbadian Dollar (BBD) The exchange rate is tied to the US dollar. US$1= BD$1.998 (approx. BD$3.92=£1.00) |
| Government
Type |
parliamentary
democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth |
| 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
HolidayNational
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 |
Barbados
is a parliamentary democracy modelled after the British
system with Queen Elizabeth II represented as head of
state by a Governor General. Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH
II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General
Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Freundel STUART
(since 23 October 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; Prime Minister appointed by
the governor general |
| Legislative
Branch |
Bicameral
Parliament consists of the House of Assembly and the
Senate. The first Parliament was established in 1639
and since then Barbados has enjoyed a tradition of representative
government. The 30 members of the House of Assembly
are elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term,
although the Government may call an election earlier.
The Senate’s 21 members are appointed by the Governor
General, 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 with
the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 7 at
the Governor General’s discretion. Executive power
rests with the cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister
and responsible to parliament. |
| Judicial
Branch |
Supreme
Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service
Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services). The
judiciary is independent with the highest appellate court
being the Court of Appeal in Barbados. Under certain circumstances,
final appeals go to the judicial committee of the Privy
Council of the United Kingdom. Barbados has now made the
Caribbean Court of Justice its highest appellate court
to move away from the jurisdiction of the Privy Council.
|
| Political
Overview |
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) began its term of office in 2008 with a majority of 20 out of 30 seats in the House of Assembly.
Since
independence in 1966 Government has alternated between
the BLP and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) which
broke away from the BLP in the 1950s. There is a third
party, the National Democratic Party (NDP) which broke
away from the DLP in the 1980s but it has failed so
far to make any impact in the elections.
Trade
unions enjoy an unusually integrated position in Barbados’
political environment. The Government has fostered a
successful tripartite social partnership between Government,
employers (represented by the Private Sector Organization)
and trade unions, which has facilitated progress by
consensus in a number of areas, including the economy.
|
| International
Organisation Participation |
ACP,
C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Basic Economic Facts |
GDP, market prices: Bd$6,799m (US$3,408m) (2006) (EIU)
GDP per capita: US$7,350 (2007) (Central bank of Barbados)
Annual Growth: 3.5% (2006) (EIU)
Inflation: 5.5% (June 2007) (Central Bank of Barbados)
Unemployment: 8.1% (Q2 2007) (Central Bank of Barbados)
Major Economic Sectors: tourism, offshore financial services, construction and utilities, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export, agriculture, information technology services.
Major export partners (2005): CARICOM 37.8%, US 12.8%, UK 8.7%, rest of Europe, 3.1% (EIU)
Major import partners (2005): US 36.5%, CARICOM 24.7%, Rest of Europe, 7.6%, UK 5.5% (EIU) |
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