Long-form name: none

Type: independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

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--there may a new city of Bridgetown

Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)

Constitution: 30 November 1966

Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Branches: bicameral legislature (Parliament--21-member appointed Senate and 27-member elected House of Assembly); Cabinet headed by prime minister

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II, represented by Governor General Sir Hugh SPRINGER (since 24 February 1984); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Lloyd Erskine SANDIFORD (since 2 June 1987)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: House of Assembly members have terms no longer than five years; last general election held 28 May 1986

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party (DLP), Erskine Sandiford; Barbados Labor Party (BLP), Henry Forde; National Democratic Party (NDP), Richie Haynes

Voting strength: (1986 election) DLP 59.4%; BLP 40.6%; House of Assembly seats--DLP 24, BLP 3

Communists: negligible

Other political or pressure groups: Industrial and General Workers Union, Bobby Clarke; People's Progressive Movement, Eric Sealy; Workers' Party of Barbados, Dr. George Belle

Member of: CARICOM, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Sir William DOUGLAS; Chancery at 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 939-9200 through 9202; there is a Barbadian Consulate General in New York and a Consulate in Los Angeles; US--Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown (mailing address is P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown or FPO Miami 34054); telephone (809) 436-4950 through 4957

Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

NOTE: The information regarding Barbados on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Barbados Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Barbados Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.