British sailors who landed on Barbados in the 1620s at the site of present-day Holetown on the Caribbean coast found the island uninhabited. As elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, Arawak Indians may have been annihilated by invading Caribs, who are believed to have subsequently abandoned the island.

From the arrival of the first British settlers in 1627-28 until independence in 1966, Barbados was a self-funding colony under uninterrupted British rule. Nevertheless, Barbados always enjoyed a large measure of local autonomy. Its House of Assembly, which began meeting in 1639, is the third-oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, preceded only by Bermuda's legislature and the Virginia House of Burgesses.

As the sugar industry developed into the main commercial enterprise, Barbados was divided into large plantation estates, which replace the small holdings of the early British settlers. Some of the displaced farmers relocated to British colonies in North America. To work the plantations, slaves were brought from Africa; the slave trade ceased a few years before the abolition of slavery throughout the British empire in 1834.

Plantation owners and merchants of British descent dominated local politics. It was not until the 1930s that the descendants of emancipated slaves began a movement for political rights. One of the leaders of this movement, Sir Grantley Adams, founded the Barbados Labor Party in 1938. Progress toward more democratic government for Barbados was made in 1951, when the first general election under universal adult suffrage occurred. This was followed by steps toward increased self-government, and in 1961, Barbados achieved internal autonomy.

From 1958 to 1962, Barbados was one of 10 members of the West Indies Federation, and Sir Grantley Adams served as its first and only prime minister. When the federation was terminated, Barbados reverted to its former status as a self-governing colony. Following several attempts to form another federation composed of Barbados and the Leeward and Windward Islands, Barbados negotiated its own independence at a constitutional conference with the United Kingdom in June 1966. After years of peaceful and democratic progress, Barbados became an independent state within the British Commonwealth on November 30, 1966.

Under its constitution, Barbados is a parliamentary democracy modeled on the British system. The governor general represents the monarch. Control of the government rests with the cabinet, headed by the prime minister and responsible to the Parliament.

The bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Assembly and Senate. The 30 members of the House are elected by universal suffrage to 5-year terms. Elections may be called at any time the government wishes to seek a new mandate or if the government suffers a vote of no-confidence in Parliament, with a 5-year maximum duration for Parliament. The Senate's 21 members are appointed by the governor general -- 12 with the advice of the prime minister, two with the advice of the leader of the opposition, and seven at the governor general's discretion to represent segments of the community.

The island is divided into 11 parishes and the city of Bridgetown for administrative purposes. There is no local government. Barbados' defense expenditures account for about 2.5% of the government budget.

Since independence, Barbados has transformed itself from a low-income economy dependent upon sugar production to a middle-income economy based on tourism. The economy went into a deep recession in 1990 after 3 years of steady decline brought on by fundamental macroeconomic imbalances. After a painful readjustment process, the economy began to grow again in 1993. Growth rates averaged between 3%-5% since then until 2001, when the economy contracted 2.8%. As 2004 nears, there are signs of a gradual economic recovery.

The main factors responsible for the decline in economic activity include a decrease in the number of tourist arrivals following September 11 events, the general global economic downturn, and the impact of a depreciated Euro on sugar exports. Offshore banking and financial services have become an increasingly important source of foreign exchange and economic growth.

By year-end 2001, the recession led to a rise in unemployment, led by net decreases in employment in the tourism sector, as well as in construction and manufacturing sectors. The public service remains Barbados' largest-single employer. The employed labor force totaled 128,600 persons at the end of 2001, and the unemployed labor force expanded from 13,000 in 2000 to 14,000 in 2001. At the end of 2001, 62,900 persons were economically inactive. Unemployment rose in 2002 to 10.3%, but is still significantly lower than the 20% levels of the early 1990s.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.

The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom.

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

The country has a total area of 166 square miles, and its population is approximately 276,607. Christianity is the dominant religion, of which members of the Anglican faith constitute the majority. A significant number of worshipers adhere to the Pentecostal, Methodist Moravian, Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptist, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) congregations. Other minority religions include Rastafarianism, the Baha'i faith, Judaism, and Islam. Several denominations sponsor missionary activities.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels strives to protect this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Government is secular and does not interfere with an individual's right to worship. Christian holy days, such as Good Friday, Whit Monday, and Christmas are national holidays.

Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion.

There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Relations between the various religious communities are generally amicable. With over 125 different denominations, the country has a history of being open and tolerant of diverse forms of worship. The Barbados Christian Council and the Caribbean Conference of Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the Christian faith.

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government, local groups, and other organizations in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

The crime rate in Barbados is medium compared to industrialized countries. An analysis was done using INTERPOL data for Barbados. For purpose of comparison, data were drawn for the seven offenses used to compute the United States FBI's index of crime. Index offenses include murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. The combined total of these offenses constitutes the Index used for trend calculation purposes. Barbados will be compared with Japan (country with a low crime rate) and USA (country with a high crime rate). According to the INTERPOL data, for murder, the rate in 2000 was 7.47 per 100,000 population for Barbados, 1.10 for Japan, and 5.51 for USA. For rape, the rate in 2000 was 25.38 for Barbados, compared with 1.78 for Japan and 32.05 for USA. For robbery, the rate in 2000 was 159.38 for Barbados, 4.08 for Japan, and 144.92 for USA. For aggravated assault, the rate in 2000 was 200.81 for Barbados, 23.78 for Japan, and 323.62 for USA. For burglary, the rate in 2000 was 1105.95 for Barbados, 233.60 for Japan, and 728.42 for USA. The rate of larceny for 2000 was 783.09 for Barbados, 1401.26 for Japan, and 2475.27 for USA. The rate for motor vehicle theft in 2000 was 82.86 for Barbados, compared with 44.28 for Japan and 414.17 for USA. The rate for all index offenses combined was 2364.94 for Barbados, compared with 1709.88 for Japan and 4123.97 for USA.

Between 1995 and 2000, according to INTERPOL data, the rate of murder decreased from 13.64 to 7.47 per 100,000 population, a decrease of 45.23 percent. The rate for rape decreased from 47.75 to 25.38 a decrease of 46.85 percent. The rate of robbery decreased from 235.33 to 159.38 a decrease of 32.27 percent. The rate for aggravated assault decreased from 214.87 to 200.81 a decrease of 6.54 percent. The rate for burglary decreased from 2312.41 to 1105.95 a decrease of 52.17 percent. The rate of larceny decreased from 2788.2 to 783.09 a decrease of 71.91 percent. The rate of total index offenses decreased from 5612.2 to 2364.94 a decrease of 57.86 percent.

The Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) is responsible for law enforcement and is under the control of civilian authorities. The small Barbados Defense Force (BDF) maintains national security and may be called upon to maintain public order in times of crisis, emergency, or other specific need. During the year, members of the security forces committed some human rights abuses.

The Constitution specifically prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading punishment or other treatment. The majority of complaints against the police alleged unprofessional conduct and beating or assault.

At year's end, assault charges filed by students at the University of the West Indies against a police officer were still pending before the court. These charges arose out of an incident in 2001 when students barricaded the main campus road and clashed with police .

Police procedures provide that the police may question suspects, and other persons they hold, only at a police station, except when expressly permitted by a senior divisional officer. An officer must visit detainees at least once every 3 hours to inquire about the detainees' condition. After 24 hours, the detaining authority must submit a written report to the Deputy Commissioner. The authorities must approve and record all movements of detainees between stations. The authorities generally adhered to these basic principles, although there were occasional allegations that officials used excessive force.

The majority of complaints against the police alleged unprofessional conduct and beating or assault.

In March newspapers reported that four policemen allegedly beat Colin Gaul, a Guyana-born Swedish citizen, and forcibly removed him from a flight bound for Guyana after the captain of the flight refused to take off with him on board. The press reported that Gaul, who was traveling with his 3-year-old son, had complained loudly at having to walk from the back of the aircraft to his seat near the front of the aircraft, while other passengers with children seated near the front had been allowed to board from the front of the plane. The airline told the press that Gaul had been abusive on an earlier flight and cited security concerns as a reason to remove him. After Gaul refused requests by security guards and police to leave the plane, the policemen allegedly grabbed him and punched him in the head with bare fists and forced him off the plane. According to press reports, one of the passengers who witnessed the incident gave a statement to the Guyana Human Rights Association. The police conducted an investigation, but no results were made public.

At year's end, assault charges filed by students at the University of the West Indies against a police officer were still pending before the High Court. These charges arose out of an incident in 2001 when students barricaded the main campus road and clashed with police.

The police force has an Office of Professional Responsibility headed by a superintendent to deal with matters of inappropriate police conduct. Although Parliament passed a law in 2001 creating an independent Police Complaints Authority to review complaints against the police, this entity was not yet functioning at year's end.

Police procedures provide that the police may question suspects, and other persons they hold, only at a police station, except when expressly permitted by a senior divisional officer. An officer must visit detainees at least once every 3 hours to inquire about the detainees' condition. After 24 hours, the detaining authority must submit a written report to the Deputy Commissioner. The authorities must approve and record all movements of detainees between stations. The authorities generally adhered to these basic principles, although there were occasional allegations that officials used excessive force.

For a decade, the authorities have issued firearms to special foot patrols in high crime areas in response to public concern. In 2000 the Government created an armed special rapid response unit, which continued to operate during the year. Aside from this exception, the police force was mostly unarmed, in keeping with its British traditions. In addition, the law provides that the police can request the BDF to assist them when needed for specific periods of time. During these times, such as the annual "Crop Over" carnival period, the police and BDF may run joint patrols. In addition, the police operated a mobile unit that could be dispatched as needed, including to the tourism areas.

The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and imprisonment and requires detainees to be brought before a court of law within a reasonable time, and the Government generally respected these provisions in practice. Criminal defendants have the right to counsel, and attorneys had ready access to their clients.

The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary, and the Government generally respected this provision in practice.

The judiciary includes the Supreme Court, which consists of the High Court and Court of Appeal. The Governor General, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and after consultation with the leader of the opposition, appoints the Chief Justice and other judges. Judges serve until the age of 65.

The Constitution provides that persons charged with criminal offenses be given a fair public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The judicial system provides for the right of due process at each level. The law presumes defendants innocent until proven guilty.

The Government provided free legal aid to the indigent in family matters, child support, criminal cases such as rape or murder, and for all cases involving minors. There is a limit of approximately $2,100 (₤1,300) on expenses incurred for appeals by death row prisoners to the Privy Council in London. Two inmates challenged this limit and sued the Government on the grounds that it effectively deprived them of their right to due process.

There were no reports of political prisoners.

Prison conditions remained inadequate. The sole adult prison (Glendairy) was antiquated and overcrowded, with more than 940 male and 44 female inmates in a 150-year-old structure built for 350 inmates. In September, the Government approved the construction of a new maximum security prison with planned capacity for up to 600 prisoners.

There are separate areas for pretrial detainees and convicted prisoners at the prison; however, there was occasional mixing due to space constraints.

There is a separate wing for female prisoners at the adult prison. The sole juvenile prison has separate facilities for boys and girls.

As a result of the alleged beatings of 36 inmates in 2001, the authorities brought 100 charges against 9 prison officers, mainly for assault. At year's end, the officers were free on bail pending further court hearings.

The Government allowed private groups to visit prisons to ascertain conditions.

The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and imprisonment and requires detainees to be brought before a court of law within a reasonable time, and the Government generally respected these provisions in practice. Criminal defendants have the right to counsel, and attorneys had ready access to their clients.

For a decade, the authorities have issued firearms to special RBPF foot patrols in high crime areas in response to public concern. In 2000, the Government created an armed special rapid response unit, which continued to operate during the year. Aside from this exception, the 1,328-person police force was mostly unarmed, in keeping with its British traditions. In addition, the law provides that the police can request the BDF to assist them as needed with special joint patrols.

The police force has a complaints authority known as the Office of Professional Responsibility, headed by a superintendent, to deal with matters of inappropriate police conduct. Although Parliament passed a law in 2001 creating an independent board to review complaints against the police, this entity was not yet functioning at year's end.

The Constitution prohibits exile, and it was not used.

Violence and abuse against women continued to be significant social problems. One official reported that one of every five injured women treated in the emergency room was there as a result of domestic violence. In March, the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women specifically raised concerns about violence against women in reporting to the U.N. General Assembly. In 2001, there were 71 cases of rape reported to the police; more recent figures were not available but the Police Commissioner reported a 22 percent decrease in rapes reported during the year. Spousal abuse remained a significant criminal activity during the year, despite legal protections against spousal rape for women holding a court-issued divorce decree, separation order, or nonmolestation order.

The Domestic Violence Law specifies the appropriate police response to domestic violence; it is intended to protect all members of the family, including men and children. It applies equally to marriages and to common law relationships. Criminal penalties for violent crimes were the same regardless of the sex of the offender or the victim; however, in practice female offenders usually received lighter sentences than their male counterparts for similar offenses. The courts heard a number of cases of domestic violence against women involving assault or wounding. Victims may request restraining orders, which the courts often issued. The courts can sentence an offender to jail for breaching such an order. The police has a Victim Support Unit, made up of civilians and volunteers, which offered support to victims, particularly female victims, of violent crimes.

There were public and private counseling services for victims of domestic violence, rape, and child abuse. The Business and Professional Women's Club ran a crisis center staffed by trained counselors and provided legal and medical referral services. The Government funded a shelter for battered women, which accommodates 20 women and children; nongovernmental organizations operated it. The shelter offered psychological and physiological counseling by trained counselors to victims of domestic violence.

Prostitution is illegal, but it was a problem, fueled by poverty and tourism. The media occasionally reported about prostitution, usually in the context of concern over HIV/AIDS. There is no statute specifically prohibiting sexual tourism, and no statistics on it; anecdotal evidence suggests it occurred.

Government statistics showed that women bore a greater share of the unemployment burden than men; the unemployment rate for women was 12.6 percent at year's end, compared to a rate of 8.9 percent for men.

Sexual harassment in the workplace was a problem, but no statistics were available. Media reports often indicated that women were afraid to report sexual harassment because they feared persecution in the workplace. Legislation aimed at preventing sexual harassment in the workplace was under discussion in connection with other proposals to harmonize labor legislation among the Caribbean nations. In addition, the Barbados Workers Union continued to seek guidelines on sexual harassment in contracts and agreements it concluded with employers.

Women actively participated in all aspects of national life and were well represented at all levels of both the public and private sectors. They headed 44 percent of all households and were not discriminated against in public housing or other social welfare programs. A Poverty Eradication Fund focused on encouraging entrepreneurial activities to increase employment for women and youth. Women owned approximately 30 percent of all businesses in the Small Business Association and carried in excess of 70 percent of the recent mortgages in the country. The Government reported that the number of female applicants for the police force, as well as for other jobs traditionally held by men, continued to increase. Nonetheless, women held only 162 police positions out of the total of 1,328.

The National Organization of Women was an affiliate of the Caribbean Women's Association, a regional women's organization.

The Government was committed to children's human rights and welfare, although violence and abuse against children remained serious problems. The Government provided for compulsory education until the age of 16. The national health insurance program provided children with free medical and dental services for most medical conditions. The Child Care Board has a mandate for the care and protection of children. This involved investigating day care centers, cases of child abuse or child labor, the provision of counseling services, residential placement, and foster care. The Welfare Department offered counseling on a broad range of family-related issues, and the Child Care Board conducted counseling for child abuse victims.

The press reported that there was an increase in the number of complaints of rape of girls and boys under 16 years old. In September, the Child Care Board Chairman reported that at least 1,023 girls between ages 11 and 15 were victims of statutory rape in the years from 1977-2001, based on birth data. According to the media, police officials were concerned that children had become targets because rapists saw them as less likely to be infected with the HIV/AIDS virus.

There were no laws specifically addressing trafficking in persons, although laws against slavery and forced labor could be applied. The Government signed but has not ratified the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, which supplements the U.N. Convention against International Organized Crime. There were no reports that persons were trafficked to, from, or within the country.

Barbados continued its leadership role in the eastern Caribbean in passing domestic legislation affecting drug trafficking and use. The government continued to devote significant resources to drug control efforts and worked actively to ensure greater cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

Barbados is a transit country for cocaine entering by sea from Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana. Marijuana is brought in from St. Vincent and the Grenadines by private vessels. Most cocaine shipments entering Barbados and its territorial waters are destined for North America and Europe, although domestic cocaine consumption has been on the rise in recent years. Barbados may experience less maritime cocaine flow than its neighboring islands due to its location east of the Lesser Antilles. Barbados is a hub for commercial air passenger couriers moving cocaine to Europe. Cruise lines and container vessels are also reported as means of cocaine transport.

Drug seizures, particularly marijuana, increased sharply in the last half of the year, following a directive from the political levels of government for increased interagency cooperation. The Police, Defence Force, Coast Guard and Customs also worked more aggressively to halt the flow of marijuana from St. Vincent. In 1998, Government of Barbados (GOB) agencies reported seizing 35 kilograms of cocaine and 1.65 metric tons of marijuana. They arrested 546 persons on drug charges and eradicated 400 cannabis plants.

In September 1998, the Barbados government enacted domestic legislation to enable it to implement maritime law enforcement agreements. This paved the way for Barbados to put into effect the Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement signed with the U.S. in July 1997. The first combined maritime patrols were held in November 1998. It is regrettable, however, that the highest levels of the Barbados government continue to publicly mischaracterize the agreement as a policy tool of the United States, to be traded for concessions in other areas, rather than a cooperative law enforcement initiative that benefits both countries. These characterizations have been echoed by marijuana producers in a neighboring country.

Barbados and the U.S. now have three important elements of counternarcotics cooperation in place: a maritime agreement with overflight authority, an extradition treaty, and an MLAT. The latter treaties were recently ratified by the U.S. Barbados is party to the 1961 UN Convention and its 1972 Protocol, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

Strong offshore bank laws and existing currency controls provide a defense against money laundering. New money laundering legislation, based on the UK Commonwealth Secretariat model, was enacted in December 1998, and in mid-year the Police established a financial intelligence unit. As a matter of policy, the government does not issue offshore business licenses to operate internet casino gambling sites, citing an inability to regulate them. The government amended the evidence act to enable prosecutors to submit photographs of large drug seizures or vehicles into evidence in criminal cases. This enables the police to destroy bulk drug seizures and reduces the risk of theft and the cost of safekeeping. The government also raised the maximum penalties for firearms violations to 25 years imprisonment and $75,000 fine and amended the bail act. In December 1998, the Government introduced to Parliament a Penal System Reform Bill to expand sentencing options of judges beyond prison and fines, to include community service orders, curfew orders, suspended sentences, and other non-traditional sentences. The law is designed to reduce prison overcrowding and provide options for dealing with drug-addicted criminals. These progressive efforts are due in large part to the Attorney General's active oversight of law enforcement activity.

The Proceeds of Crime Act of 1990 provides for the confiscation of property shown to have been derived or obtained by a person directly or indirectly, from the commission of certain offenses, including drug trafficking and money laundering, and to enable law enforcement authorities to trace such proceeds, benefits, or property. No significant asset seizures were made in 1998.

The National Council on Substance Abuse continues to be active. It works closely with non-governmental organizations in prevention and education efforts and skills training centers. The USG-supported Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program remains active in the school system. Drug detoxification is available at the mental health hospital. The government lacks a residential drug rehabilitation center, but in 1998 it provided funding to help support a fledgling private rehabilitation center known as Teen Challenge.