Land Area: | 430 sq. km (166 sq. miles) |
Climate: | Sub-tropical (16-31 Celsius) |
Religions: | Christian with Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Rastafarian, Moravian, Brethren |
Language: | English, local ‘Bajan’ dialect |
Population: | 285,719 (2017) |
Education: | Primary, secondary and tertiary*, free and available to all citizens |
Health: | Free health care on demand; |
Birth rate: | 1.80 births per woman births (2016) |
Average life expectancy: | 75.91 years (2016) |
Social Welfare: | Unemployment, industrial injury, sickness, maternity, retirement and death benefits |
Communications & Utilities: | All communications, utilities and information services are available throughout Barbados, especially piped water, electricity, natural gas, radio, telephones and television |
Roads: | Comprehensive national road network, driving on left hand side |
Ports: | International Airport, Port with convenient access to all countries in the world Deep Water Harbour, regular shipping facilities |
Currency: | BDS$ 2 = US$ 1 |
GDP per Capita Income: | Toal: $4.663 billion, Per Capita: 16,669 (2016 Estimate). Highest current “quality of life” rating of any developing country. Economy principally tourism, light industry, sugar, rum distillation and offshore financial services |
Income Tax: | The first is the standard rate of 17.5% which is generally applicable to all taxable supplies. |
Investment: | Excellent investment opportunities and incentives are available |
Aid: | Barbados receives aid only as specialised technical assistance |
Regional & other affiliations: | Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Caribbean Development Bank (CDB); Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS); Organisation of American States (OAS); the African, Caribbean and Pacific States/European Economic Community (ACP/EEC); Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO); United Nations (UN) |
Parliamentary affiliations: | Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) |