Conventional Long Form Name: None
Capital City: Bridgetown
Type of Government: Parliamentary democracy and a commonwealth realm
Date of Independence: 30 November, 1966
National Holidays: Independence Day, 30 November 1966
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II (February 6, 1952)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Freundel Stuart (October 23, 2010)
Executive Branch/Powers Description: The cabinet is appointed by the governor general who goes off of the advice of the prime minister. To be in the monarchy you have to earn that by hereditary. The monarch then appoints the governor general following legislative elections. Usually the leader of the majority party or the majority coalition is appointed by the prime minister by the governor general. The prime minster also recommends the deputy prime minster.
Legislative Branch/Powers Description: The bicameral Parliament is made up of the Senate which includes 21 seats; members are appointed by the governor general (12 of them on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leaders, and 7 on the discretion of the governor general). It also consists of the House of Assembly which includes 30 seats (the members are directly elected in a single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve the five year term).
Judicial Branch/Powers Description: The highest courts are the Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 Justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the Chief Justice and the President of the court and 4 Justices). The judge selection and term of office occurs this way: The Supreme Court Chief Justice appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (a five member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, the commission head, and the governor general appointees that were recommended by the prime minister. Justices serve until the mandatory retirement age of 65. The subordinate Courts consists of the Magistrates' Courts.
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal.
Ambassador in the United States: John E. Beale
Location of Embassy in the United States: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location of Consultants in the United States: Miami and New York
United States Ambassador in Barbados: Larry L. Palmer
Location of United States Embassy in Barbados: Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006
Location of Consultants in Barbados from the United States: N/A
Representative to the United Nations: Keith Hamilton Llewellyn Marshall
Description of the flag: The three equal bands of blue represent the blue of the sea and the sky, the gold represents the gold of the beaches, and the trident represents the independence and a break with the past.
National Symbols: Neptune's trident (which is on the national flag), pelican, and the Red Bird of Paradise flower (known as the pride of Barbados). The national colors are blue, yellow, and black.
International Disputes: Barbados abides by the Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone. It joins other Caribbean states to go against Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation. A criterion under the UN convention on the Law of the Sea which allows Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over the large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Quantity of Refugees: N/A
Quantity of Internally Displaced People: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Human Trafficking: N/A
Illicit Drugs: One of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US an offshore financial center.
Capital City: Bridgetown
Type of Government: Parliamentary democracy and a commonwealth realm
Date of Independence: 30 November, 1966
National Holidays: Independence Day, 30 November 1966
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II (February 6, 1952)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Freundel Stuart (October 23, 2010)
Executive Branch/Powers Description: The cabinet is appointed by the governor general who goes off of the advice of the prime minister. To be in the monarchy you have to earn that by hereditary. The monarch then appoints the governor general following legislative elections. Usually the leader of the majority party or the majority coalition is appointed by the prime minister by the governor general. The prime minster also recommends the deputy prime minster.
Legislative Branch/Powers Description: The bicameral Parliament is made up of the Senate which includes 21 seats; members are appointed by the governor general (12 of them on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leaders, and 7 on the discretion of the governor general). It also consists of the House of Assembly which includes 30 seats (the members are directly elected in a single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve the five year term).
Judicial Branch/Powers Description: The highest courts are the Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 Justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the Chief Justice and the President of the court and 4 Justices). The judge selection and term of office occurs this way: The Supreme Court Chief Justice appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (a five member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, the commission head, and the governor general appointees that were recommended by the prime minister. Justices serve until the mandatory retirement age of 65. The subordinate Courts consists of the Magistrates' Courts.
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal.
Ambassador in the United States: John E. Beale
Location of Embassy in the United States: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Location of Consultants in the United States: Miami and New York
United States Ambassador in Barbados: Larry L. Palmer
Location of United States Embassy in Barbados: Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael BB 14006
Location of Consultants in Barbados from the United States: N/A
Representative to the United Nations: Keith Hamilton Llewellyn Marshall
Description of the flag: The three equal bands of blue represent the blue of the sea and the sky, the gold represents the gold of the beaches, and the trident represents the independence and a break with the past.
National Symbols: Neptune's trident (which is on the national flag), pelican, and the Red Bird of Paradise flower (known as the pride of Barbados). The national colors are blue, yellow, and black.
International Disputes: Barbados abides by the Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone. It joins other Caribbean states to go against Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation. A criterion under the UN convention on the Law of the Sea which allows Venezuela to extend its Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf over the large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Quantity of Refugees: N/A
Quantity of Internally Displaced People: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Human Trafficking: N/A
Illicit Drugs: One of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US an offshore financial center.
National flag of Barbados
Audio of the National Anthem of Barbados