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Barbados:
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Other pages in this profile of Barbados:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Definition The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. |
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Location |
Definition Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela |
Geographic coordinates |
Definition 13 10 N, 59 32 W |
Map references |
Definition Central America and the Caribbean |
Area |
Definition - World rank and map total: 431 sq km land: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative |
Definition 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries |
Definition 0 km |
Coastline |
Definition 97 km |
Maritime claims |
Definition territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate |
Definition tropical; rainy season (June to October) |
Terrain |
Definition relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region |
Elevation extremes |
Definition lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m |
Natural resources |
Definition petroleum, fish, natural gas |
Land use |
Definition - World rank and map arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
Definition 50 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources |
Definition 0.1 cu km (2003) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) |
Definition total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%) per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards |
Definition infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides |
Environment - current issues |
Definition pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers |
Environment - international agreements |
Definition 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 |
Geography - note |
Definition easternmost Caribbean island |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |