exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37% permanent crops: 2% other: 61% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste
disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens
contamination of aquifers

Environment - international agreements: party to: Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: easternmost
Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population: 276,607 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64
years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8%
(male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.46% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 76.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2002 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 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

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

Languages: English

Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Barbados

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

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