Neptune's trident, pelican, Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados); national colors: blue, yellow, black.
Title | "The National Anthem of Barbados" |
---|---|
Lyric/music | Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS |
Date of Independence | 30 November 1966 (from the UK) |
---|---|
National holiday | Independence Day, 30 November (1966) |
Legal system | English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Constitution | |
History | Adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966; Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 establishes Barbados as a republic and revokes the earlier Order in Council |
Amendments | Proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the organization and authorities of the branches of government requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament; passage of other amendments only requires a majority vote of both houses; amended several times, last in 2021 |
Citizenship | |
Citizenship by birth | yes |
Citizenship by descent only | yes |
Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
Residency requirement for naturalization | 5 years |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | President Sandra MASON (since 30 November 2021) |
Head of government | Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 25 May 2018) |
Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister |
Elections/appointments | president elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament for a 4-year renewable term; election last held on 20 October 2021 (next to be held in); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister |
Election results | Sandra MASON elected as first president on 20 October 2021 |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (21 seats statutory - 21 current; members appointed by the president - 12 on the advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at the discretion of the president; members serve 5-year terms) House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) |
Elections | Senate - last appointments on 4 February 2022 (next appointments in February 2027) House of Assembly - last held on 19 January 2022 (next to be held in January 2027) |
Election results | Senate - appointed - BLP 12, independent 9; composition - men 13, women 8, percentage women 38.1% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - BLP 69%, DLP 26.5%, other 4.5%; seats by party - BLP 30; composition - men 22, women 8, percentage women 26.7%; note - total Parliament percentage women 32.7% |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the High Court chief justice and president of the court and 4 justices; note - in 2005, Barbados acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) |
Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister and opposition leader of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 5-member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court chief justice, the commission head, and presidential appointees recommended by the prime minister; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 |
Subordinate courts | Magistrates' Courts |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Victor Anthony FERNANDES (since 18 September 2024) |
Chancery | 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 939-9200 |
FAX | [1] (202) 332-7467 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.foreign.gov.bb/embassies-high-commissions-and-permanent-missions/ |
Consulate(s) general | Miami, New York |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Roger F. NYHUS (since 19 January 2024) note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Embassy | Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, W.I. |
Mailing address | 3120 Bridgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3120 |
Telephone | (246) 227-4000 |
FAX | (246) 431-0179 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://bb.usembassy.gov/ |
National heritage | |
Total World Heritage Sites | 1 (cultural) |
Selected World Heritage Site locales | Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison |
Want to know more about Barbados? Check all different factbooks for Barbados below.