Society of Barbados

society

KEY FACTS 2015

Population per sq km: 661

Life expectancy: 75 years

Net primary enrolment: 91% (2014)


Population: 284,000 (2015); 32 per cent of people live in urban areas; growth 0.3 per cent p.a. 1990–2015; birth rate 12 per 1,000 people (22 in 1970); life expectancy 75 years (69 in 1970).

The population is 93 per cent of African descent, three per cent of European descent, and the rest of Asian or mixed descent (2000 census).

Language: English is the official and first language.  An English-based Creole is also widely spoken.

Religion: Mainly Christians (Anglicans 24 per cent, Pentecostals 19 per cent, Adventists six per cent, Methodists four per cent), with small Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities (2010 census).

Media: Newspapers are privately owned and include The Barbados Advocate/Sunday Advocate, The Nation and Broad Street Journal (business weekly).

CBC Radio, CBC TV (the only terrestrial television channel) and MCTV (a multichannel pay-TV service) are operated by the public Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. There are several private commercial and faith radio stations.

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Errol Barrow Day (21 January), National Heroes’ Day (28 April), Labour Day (early May), Emancipation Day (1 August), Kadooment Day (early August), Independence Day (30 November), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary year to year include Good Friday, Easter Monday and Whit Monday.