Barbados Essay, Research Paper

Barbados

Barbados is a small country located in the Caribbean Sea.

The capital is Bridgetown with a population of about 8,789. The

head of state of Barbados is Queen Elizabeth II and she is

represented by General Dame Nita Barrow. The total population of

the country is around 252,000. The main language is English and

the predominant religion is Christianity. Their date of

independence was November 30, 1966.

Barbados is the eastern most Caribbean Island. It is about

200 miles North-North East of Trinidad and about 100 miles East-

South East of St. Lucia. It is the second smallest country in

the Western Hemisphere. The major urban centers in the area

include Bridgetown, Speightstown, Oistins, and Holetown. The

land is mainly flat except for a series of ridges that rise up to

about 1,000 feet and then falling towards the sea.

The climate of the region consists of tropical temperatures

influenced by the Northeast trade winds. The average annual

temperature is approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The daily

temperatures rarely get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The dry

season is cool, while the wet season is slightly warmer. The

main rains come during the months of July, August, September,

October, and November. The annual average rainfall is 40 inches

in the coastal areas and 90 inches in the central areas.

The net migration into Barbados is 4.82 per 1000. The

annual growth rate is 0.4%, which is one of the lowest in the

world. The annual birthrate is 15.45 per 1000, and the annual

deathrate is 8.27 per 1000. Barbados ranks fourth in the World

in population density with the overall density being 1526 per

square mile. The whole island is inhabited, leaving no sparsely

populated areas. The main race is Negro, which is about 92% of

the population. The remainder of the population is consists of

Whites (3.8%), Mulattoes (3.8%), and East Indians (0.4%). About

70% of the population is Anglican. The other 30% belong to

various denominations such as Moravian, Methodist, and Roman

Catholic.

Barbados was once under British control from 1624. Its

House of Assembly, which began in 1639, is the third oldest

legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. By the time Britain

left in 1966, the island was completely English in culture. The

British influence is still seen today in quaint pubs, cricket

games on the village greens, and in the common law.

Barbados’ government is British Parliament. The queen is

the head of state and she is represented by the governor general.

The governor general appoints an advisory council. The executive

authority is the Prime Minister who is Owen Seymour Arthur which

came into power on September 6, 1994. The Deputy Prime Minister

is Billie Miller who also came into power on September 6, 1994.

The democratic government works well in the country. They have

had three general elections and one smooth transfer of power from

the Democratic Labor Party to the Barbados Labor Party. Barbados

carries on trade with other Caribbean nations and does have

diplomatic relations with Cuba. Their closest relations are with

the United Stated, and the United Kingdom. Barbados joined the

United Nations is 1966.

The economy of Barbados is one of the 35 upper middle-income

countries of the world. They have a free-market economy, but the

dominant sector is private. Their economy is based on sugar and

tourism, but the government has encouraged a policy of

diversification in order to achieve a more stable nation. They

also depend on a light manufacturing industry. Their monetary

unit is the Barbados dollar. The coins are made in 1, 5, 10, and

25 cents. The paper money is made in 1, 5, 10, 20, and 100

dollar bills. One U.S. dollar is equal to 2.01 Barbados dollar

(1975).

About 60% of the land is cropland. The agriculture industry

employs 7.4% of the labor force and contributes about 8.7% to the

Gross Domestic Product. Sugarcane makes up over half the

acreage. Bananas are also grown, but only on a limited scale.

Sea island cotton is also grown. All of the farmers are required

by regulations to plant at least 12% of their arable land with

some food crop.

Barbados’ natural resources include petroleum, fishing, and

natural gas. The fishing industry employs about 2,500 people and

500 small boats. Their are no natural forests in the country.

Manufacturing contributes about 11.2% to the GDP. Manufacturing

and mining employ about 18.9% of the labor force. The majority

of the industrial establishments are engaged in some form of

sugar processing. Sugar is the principal export. The principal

imports include machinery, motor vehicles, lumber, and fuels.

Barbados’ per capita income of $9,200 makes it one of the highest

standards of living of all the small island states of the Eastern

Caribbean. Barbados is also one of the many transshipment points

for narcotics bound for the U.S. and Europe.

Some of the current issues in the country consist of the

pollution of coastal waters from the waste disposal ships, soil

erosion, and illegal solid waste disposal that threatens

contamination of aquifers. Barbados is also plagued with natural

disasters such as hurricanes and landslides. Their hurricane

season is between the months of June and October, which is the

same season as the U.S.

Sources

The World Factbook 1995. Central Intelligence Agency. 1995.

The World in Figures. Showers, Victor. 1973. Library of

Congress.

Encyclopedia of the Third World. Kurian, George Thomas. 1987.

Library of Congress.

World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative Study of Churches and

the Religions in the Modern World, AD 1900-2000.

Caribbean Week. “Barbados.” Internet.