People

Population: 275,330 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.68% (male 30,122; female 29,572)

15-64 years: 69.44% (male 93,283; female 97,915)

65 years and over: 8.88% (male 9,432; female 15,006) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.46% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.25 years

male: 70.66 years

female: 75.86 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.17% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,800 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 130 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%

Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist
7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages: English

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 97.4%

male: 98%

female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Barbados Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Barbados

Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign
state within the Commonwealth

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 (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford
Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)

head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (si