Island name: Barbados (BB). Country: Barbados. Nationality: Barbadian(s). Language: English. Capital: Bridgetown. Population: 262,000. Coastline: 97 km (60 miles). Size:  34 x 23 km (21 x 14 miles), 431 sq km. Terrain: mainly flat with a central highland region. Climate: tropical; rainy season from June to October.

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Time: 1 hour ahead of Standard US Time and 5 hours ahead of Standard European Time. There is no daylight saving time in Barbados.

Currency: 1 Barbadian dollar (Bds$) = 100 cents. The Barbados dollar is converted at the fixed rate of $1.98 Bds to $1.00 U.S.

Credit cards: major credit cards are widely accepted. 

Costs: food costs are higher than in the United States. 

Location: BB is the easternmost Caribbean island, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W.

Highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m.

Entry Requirements: every visitor requires a valid passport and a valid return ticket. North American citizens may be admitted without a passport for a period not exceeding three months, but they require any other identification and must come direct to Barbados.
Visas are required for citizens from Eastern European countries, the C.I.S., the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Egypt, non-Commonwealth Countries of Africa, all South American Countries except : Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela. 
Visas are not required for passengers on cruise ships with the exception of citizens of the C.I.S., Eastern European countries, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, South Africa and Korea. 

Extension of stay: possible at the Immigration Department, The Wharf, Bridgetown, Tel: (246) 426-1011.

Airport: Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), 30-45 minutes from Bridgetown. A public bus service runs to Bridgetown every 30 minutes 0600-2400, departing from the Main Road outside the terminal building.

Departure Tax: US$ 27,50 (2008).

Flight Times: Miami 3.5 hours; New York 4.5 hours; Toronto 5 hours; London 8 hours. 

Ports and harbors: Bridgetown and Speightstown.

Accommodations: 6,000 guest rooms. Many luxury and middle class hotels, only a few guest houses. Prices from $25.00 U.S. (guest house) to $1000.00 U.S. (golf hotel) per guest and night.

Sports: Snorkeling, diving, fishing, sailing, water skiing, tennis, squash. Two 18-hole and two nine-hole golf courses.

Sleep: noisy little frogs might keep you awake at night.

Electricity: 110 volts / 50 cycles.

Telephone system: island wide automatic telephone system; satellite earth station for international calls.

Government type: parliamentary democracy.

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

Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%.

Religions: Protestant 67%, Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%.

Literacy: 97.4% of the total population (male: 98%, female: 96.8%).

Industries: tourism, food processing, component assembly, clothing. 

Agriculture-products: sugar, fish, vegetables.

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas.

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $19,700 (2007 est.).

Unemployment rate: 10.7% (2003 est.).

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