Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados

Capital City: Bridgetown

Population: 279,912 (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $18,200 (2006 est.)

Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Languages: English

Total Area: total: 431 sq km land: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Region: North America

Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Agriculture: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Labor Force: 128,500 (2001 est.)
agriculture: 10% industry: 15% services: 75% (1996 est.)

Exports: $209 million (2004 est.)
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components

Imports: $1.476 billion (2004 est.)
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005-06, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $1,303,791 in goods to Barbados. This ranks Barbados 78^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Barbados decreased from the previous year by $612,074 a change of -31.95%. State exports to Barbados have increased over the last 5 years by $490,616 a change of 60.33%. Missouri exports account for .01%. of all 2007 US exports to Barbados.