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BARBADOS
Map of BARBADOS
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Location:
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Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 10 N, 59 32 W |
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Area:
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total: 431 sq km
land: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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97 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical; rainy season (June to October) |
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Terrain:
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relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, fish, natural gas |
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Land use:
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arable land: 37.21%
permanent crops: 2.33%
other: 60.46% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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50 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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0.1 cu km (2003) |
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%)
per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
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infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides |
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Environment - current issues:
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pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Population:
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281,968 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 19.3% (male 27,270/female 27,193)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 99,357/female 102,683)
65 years and over: 9% (male 9,856/female 15,609) (2008 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) |
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Ethnic groups:
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black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% |
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Religions:
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Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% |
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Languages:
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English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2002 est.) |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2001) |
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Education expenditures - percent of GDP:
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6.9% (2005) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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name: Bridgetown
geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas |
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Independence:
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30 November 1966 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Source: http://cia.gov
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