An independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations, Barbados, lying in the Atlantic Ocean some 400 km north-east of Venezuela, is the easternmost island of the Caribbean. Bridgetown, the largest city (population 96,578 in 2006), is the capital and principal port.
Barbados is about 34 km long and 22 km across at its widest point. The island, which has an area of 430 km2, is mostly flat, but there is a high, rugged area in the middle of the north-east coast. This area is of volcanic origin, and the summit of Mt Hillaby (340 meters) is the highest point. The west and south coasts are lined with fine, sandy beaches derived from coral rock. As most of the island is of coral formation, there is little natural plantlife. The country is free from forest and wasteland.
Climate
The climate is generally mild and warm with a temperature range of 21-31°C throughout the year. The annual rainfall is 1910 mm, and occasional hurricanes may cause extensive damage.
Population
Eighty per cent of the people of Barbados are the descendants of slaves brought from Africa between 1636 and 1834. About 15 per cent are of mixed African and British ancestry, and about 4 per cent are of British descent. Barbados was under British rule from 1627 until 1966, and the influence of Britain is still apparent; the Church of England is the largest Church, English is the official language, and cricket is the most popular sport. The sugar cane plantations employ about one quarter of the workforce, and the same proportion work in the tourist trade. Today tourism accounts for much of the island's revenue, being second only to sugar production. The pleasant climate, good beaches, clear blue water and English atmosphere account for the thriving tourist trade.
History
Englishmen first came to Barbados in 1627; prior to that time, it was allegedly inhabited by South American Indians. It is the Portuguese, however, who are credited with naming it Los Barbados (the Bearded) because of its bearded fig trees. The first settlers were the English, under the leadership of Sir William Courteen. During the next 20 years, various English families claimed Barbados under Crown grants and letters patent. In spite of conflict, the work of settlement went on and eventually, in 1652, the Crown took over the government.
A governor was appointed and representative government, under which the country prospered throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, was instituted. In the 1870s there was violent opposition to a British proposal to unite Barbados in a confederation with the nearby Windward Islands. In 1958 the island became a member of the short-lived West Indies Federation.
At that time a full parliamentary system of government came into force.
The federation broke up in 1962 when Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago withdrew. Barbados gained complete independence on 30 November 1966.