Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
70.79 million cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports:
$227 million (2002)
Exports - commodities:
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,
electrical components
Exports - partners:
US 14.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12%, UK 10.6%, Jamaica 6.2%, Saint
Lucia 4.7% (2002)
Imports:
$987 million (2002)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,
chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners:
US 41.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 17%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external:
$692 million (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:
$9.1 million (1995)
Currency:
Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code:
BBD
Exchange rates:
Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2
(1999), 2 (1998)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use:
108,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,013 (1997)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions:
76,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bb
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
6,000 (2000)
Transportation Barbados
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,793 km paved: 1,719 km unpaved: 74 km (1999)
Waterways:
none
Ports and harbors:
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Merchant marine:
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 284,222 GRT/439,810 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 1, The Bahamas 1, Canada 4, Germany 1, Greece
2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, UK 18 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 22, combination bulk 1, container 1,
petroleum tanker 2
Airports:
1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Military Barbados
Military branches:
Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces and Coast
Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15–49: 77,862 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 53,282 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA%
Transnational Issues Barbados
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for
Europe and the US; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
======================================================================
@Bassas da India
Introduction Bassas da India
Background:
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at
high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the
administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.
Geography Bassas da India
Location:
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about
one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 39 50 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km
Area - comparative:
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
volcanic rock
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide
and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones
Environment