pulation: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Labor force: 124,800 (1992)
by occupation: services and government 41%, commerce 15%,
manufacturing and construction 18%, transportation, storage,
communications, and financial institutions 8%, agriculture 6%,
utilities 2% (1992 est.)

@Barbados:Government

Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados

Digraph: BB

Type: parliamentary democracy

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 new 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 Dame Nita BARROW (since 6 June 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6
September 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the
prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of a 21-member body appointed by the governor general

House of Assembly: election last held 6 September 1994 (next to be
held by January 1999); results - percentage vote by party NA; seats -
(28 total) DLP 8, BLP 19, NDP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP),David
THOMPSON; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Owen ARTHUR; National Democratic
Party (NDP), Richard HAYNES

Other political or pressure groups: Barbados Workers Union, Leroy
TROTMAN; People's Progressive Movement, Eric SEALY; Workers' Party of
Barbados, Dr. George BELLE; Clement Payne Labor Union, David
COMMISSIONG

Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Courtney BLACKMAN
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 200