Barbados

BarbadosTemplate:Efn is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean plates. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.

Inhabited by Kalinago people since the 13th century, and prior to that by other Indigenous peoples, Barbados was claimed for the Crown of Castile by Spanish navigators in the late 15th century. It first appeared on a Spanish map in 1511.<ref name="Spanish Main">Template:Cite book</ref> The Portuguese Empire claimed the island between 1532 and 1536, but abandoned it in 1620 with their only remnants being the introduction of wild boars intended as a supply of meat whenever the island was visited. An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados on 14 May 1625; its men took possession of the island in the name of King James I. In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and Barbados became an English and later British colony.<ref name="Commonwealth History">Template:Cite web</ref> During this period, the colony operated on a plantation economy, relying on the labour of African slaves who worked on the island's plantations. Slavery continued until it was phased out through most of the British Empire by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.

On 30 November 1966, Barbados moved toward political independence and assumed the status of a Commonwealth realm, becoming a separate jurisdiction with Elizabeth II as the Queen of Barbados. On 30 November 2021, Barbados transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth, replacing its monarchy with a ceremonial president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Barbados's population is predominantly of African ancestry. While it is technically an Atlantic island, Barbados is closely associated with the Caribbean and is ranked as one of its leading tourist destinations.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Etymology

The name "Barbados" is from either the Portuguese term Template:Lang or the Spanish equivalent, Template:Lang, both meaning "the bearded ones".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is unclear whether "bearded" refers to the long, hanging roots of the bearded fig-tree (Ficus citrifolia), a species of banyan indigenous to the island, or to the allegedly bearded Kalinago (Island Caribs) who once inhabited the island, or, more fancifully, to a visual impression of a beard formed by the sea foam that sprays over the outlying coral reefs. In 1519, a map produced by the Genoese mapmaker Visconte Maggiolo showed and named Barbados in its correct position.Template:Citation needed Furthermore, the island of Barbuda in the Leewards is very similar in name and was once named "Template:Lang" by the Spanish.Template:Citation needed

The original name for Barbados in the Pre-Columbian era was Template:Lang, according to accounts by descendants of the Indigenous Arawakan-speaking tribes in other regional areas, with possible translations including "Red land with white teeth"<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> or "Redstone island with teeth outside (reefs)"<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> or simply "Teeth".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Colloquially, Barbadians refer to their home island as "Bim" or other nicknames associated with Barbados, including "Bimshire". The origin is uncertain, but several theories exist. The National Cultural Foundation of Barbados says that "Bim" was a word commonly used by slaves, and that it derives from the Igbo term Template:Lang from Template:Lang meaning "my home, kindred, kind";<ref name="Carrington, Sean 2007 25">Template:Cite book</ref> the Igbo phoneme Template:IPA in the Igbo orthography is very close to Template:IPAc-en.<ref name=Allsopp2003>Template:Cite book</ref> The name could have arisen due to the relatively large percentage of Igbo slaves from modern-day southeastern Nigeria arriving in Barbados in the 18th century.<ref name=EltisRichardson1997>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The words "Bim" and "Bimshire" are recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary and Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionaries. Another possible source for "Bim" is reported to be in the Agricultural Reporter of 25 April 1868, where the Rev. N. Greenidge (father of one of the island's most famous scholars, Abel Hendy Jones Greenidge) suggested that Bimshire was "introduced by an old planter listing it as a county of England". Expressly named were "Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Bimshire".<ref name="Carrington, Sean 2007 25"/> Lastly, in the Daily Argosy (of Demerara, i.e. Guyana) of 1652, there is a reference to Bim as a possible corruption of "Byam", the name of a Royalist leader against the Parliamentarians. That source suggested the followers of Byam became known as "Bims" and that this became a word for all Barbadians.<ref name="Carrington, Sean 2007 25"/>

History

Geological history

Around 700,000 years ago, the island emerged from the ocean as a body of soft rock known as a diapir rose from the mantle beneath its present-day location. This process is still ongoing, raising Barbados at an average rate of 30 centimetres per thousand years.<ref name="earthmagazine">Template:Cite web</ref> Dozens of inland sea reefs still dominate coastal features within terraces and cliffs on the island.<ref name="earthmagazine"/>

Pre-colonial period

Archeological evidence suggests humans may have first settled or visited the island Template:Circa.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Drewett, Peter (1993). "Excavations at Heywoods, Barbados, and the Economic Basis of the Suazoid Period in the Lesser Antilles", Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society 38:113–137.</ref><ref>Fitzpatrick, Scott M., "A critical approach to c14 dating in the Caribbean", Latin American Antiquity, 17 (4), pp. 389 ff.</ref> More permanent Amerindian settlement of Barbados dates to about the 4th to 7th centuries AD, by a group known as the Saladoid-Barrancoid.<ref>Beckles, Hilary McD. A History of Barbados: From Amerindian Settlement to Caribbean Single Market (Cambridge University Press, 2007 edition).</ref> Settlements of Arawaks from South America appeared by around 800 AD and again in the 12th–13th century.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The Kalinago (called "Caribs" by the Spanish) visited the island regularly, although there is no evidence of permanent settlement.<ref name="Watson">Template:Cite book</ref>

European arrival

File:1632 Cardona Descripcion Indias (11).jpg

Spanish map of the island (1632)

It is uncertain which European nation arrived first in Barbados, which probably would have been at some point in the 15th century or 16th century. One lesser-known source points to earlier revealed works antedating contemporary sources, indicating it could have been the Spanish.<ref name="Spanish Main"/> Many, if not most, believe the Portuguese, en route to Brazil,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> were the first Europeans to come upon the island. The island was largely ignored by Europeans, though Spanish slave raiding is thought to have reduced the native population, with many fleeing to other islands.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/><ref>Beckles, A History of Barbados (2007), pp. 1–6.</ref>

English settlement in the 17th century

File:GEORGE WASHINGTON HOUSE - BARBADOS.jpg

George Washington House was visited by George Washington in 1751, in what is believed to have been his only trip outside the present-day United States.<ref name=boston>Template:Cite news</ref>

The first English ship, which had arrived on 14 May 1625, was captained by John Powell. The first settlement began on 17 February 1627, near what is now Holetown (formerly Jamestown, after King James I of England),<ref>Beckles, A History of Barbados (2007), p. 7.</ref> by a group led by John Powell's younger brother, Henry, consisting of 80 settlers and 10 English indentured labourers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Some sources state that some Africans were among these first settlers.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

The settlement was established as a proprietary colony and funded by Sir William Courten, a City of London merchant who acquired the title to Barbados and several other islands. The first colonists were actually tenants, and much of the profits of their labour returned to Courten and his company.<ref>William And John Template:Webarchive, 11 January 201, Shipstamps.co.uk</ref> Courten's title was later transferred to James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle, in what was called the "Great Barbados Robbery".Template:Citation needed Carlisle then chose as governor Henry Powell, who established the House of Assembly in 1639, in an effort to appease the planters, who might otherwise have opposed his controversial appointment.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/><ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:English Quakers Tobacco Planters and Slaves, Barbados, 17th cent. (colorized).jpg

English tobacco planters and slaves in Barbados, 17th century

In the period 1640–1660, the West Indies attracted more than two-thirds of the total number of English emigrants to the Americas. By 1650, there were 44,000 settlers in the West Indies, as compared to 12,000 on the Chesapeake and 23,000 in New England. Most English arrivals were indentured. After five years of labour, they were given "freedom dues" of about £10, usually in goods. Before the mid-1630s, they also received Template:Convert of land, but after that time the island filled and there was no more free land. During the Cromwellian era (1650s) this included a large number of prisoners-of-war, vagrants and people who were illicitly kidnapped, who were forcibly transported to the island and sold as servants. These last two groups were predominantly Irish, as several thousand were infamously rounded up by English merchants and sold into servitude in Barbados and other Caribbean islands during this period, a practice that came to be known as being Barbadosed.<ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Cultivation of sugar was thus handled primarily by European indentured labour until it became difficult to bring more indentured servants from England.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Parish registers from the 1650s show that, for the white population, there were four times as many deaths as marriages. The mainstay of the infant colony's economy was the growth export of tobacco, but tobacco prices eventually fell in the 1630s as Chesapeake production expanded.<ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados"/>

Effects of the English Civil War

Template:Main Around the same time, fighting during the War of the Three Kingdoms and the Interregnum spilled over into Barbados and Barbadian territorial waters. The island was not involved in the war until after the execution of Charles I, when the island's government fell under the control of Royalists (ironically the Governor, Philip Bell, remaining loyal to Parliament while the Barbadian House of Assembly, under the influence of Humphrey Walrond, supported Charles II). To try to bring the recalcitrant colony to heel, the Commonwealth Parliament passed an act on 3 October 1650 prohibiting trade between England and Barbados, and because the island also traded with the Netherlands, further Navigation Acts were passed, prohibiting any but English vessels trading with Dutch colonies. These acts were a precursor to the First Anglo-Dutch War. The Commonwealth of England sent an invasion force under the command of Sir George Ayscue, which arrived in October 1651. Ayscue, with a smaller force that included Scottish prisoners, surprised a larger force of Royalists, but had to resort to spying and diplomacy ultimately. On 11 January 1652, the Royalists in the House of Assembly led by Lord Willoughby surrendered, which marked the end of royalist privateering as a major threat.<ref>Blakemore, Richard J. and Murphy, Elaine. (2018). The British Civil Wars at Sea, 1638–1653. Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press. p. 170. Template:ISBN.</ref> The conditions of the surrender were incorporated into the Charter of Barbados (Treaty of Oistins), which was signed at the Mermaid's Inn, Oistins, on 17 January 1652.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite DNB</ref>

Irish people in Barbados

Template:Main Starting with Cromwell, a large percentage of the white labourer population were indentured servants and involuntarily transported people from Ireland. Irish servants in Barbados were often treated poorly, and Barbadian planters gained a reputation for cruelty.<ref name="Monahan">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp The decreased appeal of an indenture on Barbados, combined with enormous demand for labour caused by sugar cultivation, led to the use of involuntary transportation to Barbados as a punishment for crimes, or for political prisoners, and also to the kidnapping of labourers who were deported to Barbados.<ref name="Monahan"/>Template:Rp Irish indentured servants were a significant portion of the population throughout the period when white servants were used for plantation labour in Barbados, and while a "steady stream" of Irish servants entered the Barbados throughout the 17th century, Cromwellian efforts to pacify Ireland created a "veritable tidal wave" of Irish labourers who were sent to Barbados during the 1650s.<ref name="Monahan"/>Template:Rp Due to inadequate historical records, the total number of Irish labourers sent to Barbados is unknown, and estimates have been "highly contentious".<ref name="Monahan"/>Template:Rp While one historical source estimated that as many as 50,000 Irish people were deported to either Barbados or Virginia during the 1650s, this estimate is "quite likely exaggerated".<ref name="Monahan"/>Template:Rp Another estimate that 12,000 Irish prisoners had arrived in Barbados by 1655 has been described as "probably exaggerated" by historian Richard B. Sheridan.<ref name="Sheridan">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp According to historian Thomas Bartlett, it is "generally accepted" that approximately 10,000 Irish were deported to the West Indies and approximately 40,000 came as voluntary indentured servants, while many also travelled as voluntary, un-indentured emigrants.<ref name="Bartlett">Bartlett, Thomas. Template:"'This famous island set in a Virginian sea': Ireland in the British Empire, 1690–1801". In Marshall, P. J.; Low, Alaine; and Louis, William Roger (1998). P. J. Marshall and Alaine Low (eds.). The Oxford History of the British Empire. Volume II: The Eighteenth Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press.</ref>Template:Rp

The sugar revolution

File:Mercado de los domingos, donde lo esclavos eran intercambiados por otros bienes y necesidades (Barbados Museum, Bridgetown).jpg

Sunday market in Barbados during the colonial era

The introduction of sugar cane from Dutch Brazil in 1640 completely transformed society, the economy and the physical landscape. Barbados eventually had one of the world's biggest sugar industries.<ref name=beyond>Template:Cite book</ref> One group instrumental in ensuring the early success of the industry was the Sephardic Jews, who had originally been expelled from the Iberian peninsula, to end up in Dutch Brazil.<ref name="beyond"/> As the effects of the new crop increased, so did the shift in the ethnic composition of Barbados and surrounding islands.<ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados"/> The workable sugar plantation required a large investment and a great deal of heavy labour. At first, Dutch traders supplied the equipment, financing, and African slaves, in addition to transporting most of the sugar to Europe.<ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados"/><ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> In 1644 the population of Barbados was estimated at 30,000, of which about 800 were of African ancestry, with the remainder mainly of English ancestry. These English smallholders were eventually bought out and the island filled up with large sugar plantations worked by African slaves.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> By 1660 there was near parity with 27,000 Black people and 26,000 White people. By 1666 at least 12,000 white smallholders had been bought out, died, or left the island, many choosing to emigrate to Jamaica or the American Colonies (notably the Carolinas).<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> As a result, Barbados enacted a slave code as a way of legislatively controlling its enslaved Black population.<ref>Jerome Handler, New West Indian Guide 91 (2017) 30–55</ref> The law's text was influential in laws in other colonies.<ref name=menard>Sweet Negotiations: Sugar, Slavery, and Plantation Agriculture in Early Barbados Template:Webarchive, Chapter 6 "The Expansion of Barbados", p. 112</ref>

By 1680 there were 20,000 free whites and 46,000 enslaved Africans;<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> by 1724, there were 18,000 free whites and 55,000 enslaved Africans.<ref name="Slavery and Economy in Barbados"/>

18th and 19th centuries

File:Bussa statue.png

Statue of Bussa, Bridgetown. Bussa led the largest slave rebellion in Barbadian history.

The harsh conditions endured by the slaves resulted in several planned slave rebellions, the largest of which was Bussa's rebellion in 1816 which was rapidly suppressed by the colonial authorities.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> In 1819, another slave revolt broke out on Easter Day. The revolt was put down in blood, with heads being displayed on stakes. Nevertheless, the brutality of the repression shocked even England and strengthened the abolitionist movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Growing opposition to slavery led to its abolition in the British Empire in 1833.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The plantocracy class retained control of political and economic power on the island, with most workers living in relative poverty.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

The 1780 hurricane killed more than 4,000 people on Barbados.<ref name="pr">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="deadliest">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1854, a cholera epidemic killed more than 20,000 inhabitants.<ref>"Barbados" Template:Webarchive. Library of Congress Country Studies.</ref>

20th century before independence

Deep dissatisfaction with the situation on Barbados led many to emigrate.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/><ref>"Barbados – population". Template:Webarchive. Library of Congress Country Studies.</ref> Things came to a head in the 1930s during the Great Depression, as Barbadians began demanding better conditions for workers, the legalisation of trade unions and a widening of the franchise, which at that point was limited to male property owners.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> As a result of the increasing unrest the British sent a commission, called the West Indies Royal Commission, or Moyne Commission, in 1938, which recommended enacting many of the requested reforms on the islands.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> As a result, Afro-Barbadians began to play a much more prominent role in the colony's politics, with universal suffrage being introduced in 1950.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

File:Collectie Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen TM-60062011 De hoofdstraat van Bridgetown Barbados fotograaf niet bekend.jpg

Broad Street, Bridgetown in 1914

Prominent among these early activists was Grantley Herbert Adams, who helped found the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in 1938.<ref name=dnation>Template:Cite news</ref> He became the first Premier of Barbados in 1953, followed by fellow BLP-founder Hugh Gordon Cummins from 1958 to 1961. A group of left-leaning politicians who advocated swifter moves to independence broke off from the BLP and founded the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1955.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=DN>Nohlen, D. (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p. 85. Template:ISBN</ref> The DLP subsequently won the 1961 Barbadian general election and their leader Errol Barrow became premier.Template:Citation needed

Full internal self-government was enacted in 1961.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> Barbados joined the short-lived British West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962, later gaining full independence on 30 November 1966.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> Errol Barrow became the country's first prime minister. Barbados opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations.

The effect of political independence meant that the United Kingdom government ceased to having sovereignty over Barbados, Elizabeth II, instead, reigning in the country became the Queen of Barbados. The monarch then was represented locally by a governor-general.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-independence era

The Barrow government sought to diversify the economy away from agriculture, seeking to boost industry and the tourism sector. Barbados was also at the forefront of regional integration efforts, spearheading the creation of CARIFTA and CARICOM.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The DLP lost the 1976 Barbadian general election to the BLP under Tom Adams. Adams adopted a more conservative and strongly pro-Western stance, allowing the Americans to use Barbados as the launchpad for their invasion of Grenada in 1983.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Adams died in office in 1985 and was replaced by Harold Bernard St. John; however, St. John lost the 1986 Barbadian general election, which saw the return of the DLP under Errol Barrow, who had been highly critical of the US intervention in Grenada. Barrow, too, died in office, and was replaced by Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, who remained Prime Minister until 1994.Template:Citation needed

Owen Arthur of the BLP won the 1994 Barbadian general election, remaining prime minister until 2008.<ref name=DN5>Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p. 90. Template:ISBN.</ref> Arthur was a strong advocate of republicanism, though a planned referendum to replace Queen Elizabeth as Head of State in 2008 never took place.<ref name="cnn_republic">Template:Cite web</ref> The DLP won the 2008 Barbadian general election, but the new Prime Minister David Thompson died in 2010 and was replaced by Freundel Stuart. The BLP returned to power in 2018 under Mia Mottley, who became Barbados's first female prime minister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transition to republic

Template:Main The Government of Barbados announced on 15 September 2020 that it intended to become a republic by 30 November 2021, the 55th anniversary of its independence, resulting in the replacement of the Barbadian monarchy with a president elected through electoral college.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Barbados would then cease to be a Commonwealth realm, but could maintain membership in the Commonwealth of Nations, like Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="auto1">Template:Cite news</ref>

On 20 September 2021, just over a full year after the announcement for the transition was made, the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 was introduced to the Parliament of Barbados. Passed on 6 October, the Bill made amendments to the Constitution of Barbados, introducing the office of the president of Barbados to replace the role of Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados.<ref name="billdetail">Template:Cite web</ref> The following week, on 12 October 2021, incumbent Governor-General of Barbados Sandra Mason was jointly nominated by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition as candidate to be the first president of Barbados,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was subsequently elected on 20 October.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mason took office on 30 November 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the Barbadian Crown at the time, attended the swearing-in ceremony in Bridgetown at the invitation of the Government of Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Queen Elizabeth sent a message of congratulations to President Mason and the people of Barbados, saying: "As you celebrate this momentous day, I send you and all Barbadians my warmest good wishes for your happiness, peace and prosperity in the future."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A survey that was conducted between 23 October 2021 and 10 November 2021, by the University of the West Indies showed 34% of respondents being in favour of transitioning to a republic, while 30% were indifferent. Notably, no overall majority was found in the survey; with 24% not indicating a preference and the remaining 12% being opposed to the removal of Queen Elizabeth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 20 June 2022, a Constitutional Review Commission was formed and sworn in by Jeffrey Gibson (who at the time was serving temporarily as Acting President of Barbados) to review the Constitution of Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The commission was given a 15-month timeline to complete its work, which included consulting the public about the new republic and drafting a constitution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thus, the CRC engaged the public in a number of public meetings, lectures, and Twitter Spaces.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The report was announced delayed by August 2023,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the final report submitted 30 June 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography and climate

File:Barbados-2022 englisch.png

Map of Barbados

Barbados is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the other West Indies Islands. Barbados is the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles. It is Template:Convert long and up to Template:Cvt wide, covering an area of Template:Cvt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It lies about Template:Cvt east of both the countries of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Template:Cvt south-east of Martinique and Template:Cvt north-east of Trinidad and Tobago. It is flat in comparison to its island neighbours to the west, the Windward Islands. The island rises gently to the central highland region known as Scotland District, with the highest point being Mount Hillaby Template:Cvt above sea level.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

In Barbados forest cover is around 15% of the total land area, equivalent to 6,300 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, which was unchanged from 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 6,300 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 0 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 5% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 1% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership, 0% private ownership and 99% with ownership listed as other or unknown.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the parish of Saint Michael lies Barbados's capital and main city, Bridgetown, containing one third of the country's population.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> Other major towns scattered across the island include Holetown, in the parish of Saint James; Oistins, in the parish of Christ Church; and Speightstown, in the parish of Saint Peter.Template:Citation needed

Geology

Barbados lies on the boundary of the South American and the Caribbean Plates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The subduction of the South American Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate scrapes sediment from the South American Plate and deposits it above the subduction zone forming an accretionary prism. The rate of this depositing of material allows Barbados to rise at a rate of about Template:Cvt per 1,000 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This subduction means geologically the island is composed of coral roughly Template:Cvt thick, where reefs formed above the sediment. The land slopes in a series of "terraces" in the west and goes into an incline in the east. A large proportion of the island is circled by coral reefs.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

The erosion of limestone in the northeast of the island, in the Scotland District, has resulted in the formation of various caves and gullies. On the Atlantic east coast of the island coastal landforms, including stacks, have been created due to the limestone composition of the area. Also notable in the island is the rocky cape known as Pico Teneriffe<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or Pico de Tenerife, which is named after the fact that the island of Tenerife in Spain is the first land east of Barbados according to the belief of the locals.Template:Citation needed

Climate

File:Bathsheba, Barbados 08.jpg

Bathsheba, Saint Joseph

The country generally experiences two seasons, one of which includes noticeably higher rainfall. Known as the "wet season", this period runs from June to December. By contrast, the "dry season" runs from December to May. Annual precipitation ranges between Template:Cvt. From December to May the average temperatures range from Template:Convert, while between June and November, they range from Template:Convert.<ref name="weather1">Template:Cite web</ref>

On the Köppen climate classification scale, much of Barbados is regarded as a tropical monsoon climate (Am). However, breezes of Template:Cvt abound throughout the year and give Barbados a climate which is moderately tropical.Template:Citation needed

Infrequent natural hazards include earthquakes, landslips, and hurricanes. Barbados lies outside the Main Development Region for tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic, and is often spared the worst effects of the region's storms during the rainy season. On average, a major hurricane makes landfall in Barbados about once every 26 years. The last significant hit from a hurricane to cause severe damage to Barbados was Hurricane Janet in 1955; in 2010 the island was struck by Hurricane Tomas, but this caused only minor damage across the country as it was only at Tropical Storm strength at the time of impact.<ref>"Hurricane Tomas lashes Caribbean islands" Template:Webarchive. BBC News, 30 October 2010.</ref>

Environmental issues

File:BarbadosFromISS.jpg

Barbados, seen from the International Space Station

File:Water Stress, Top Countries (2020).svg

Barbados is the twentieth most water stressed country in the world.

Barbados is susceptible to environmental pressures. As one of the world's most densely populated isles, the government worked during the 1990s<ref>Domestic and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Techniques in Barbados Template:Webarchive. Cep.unep.org. Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref> to aggressively integrate the growing south coast of the island into the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant to reduce contamination of offshore coral reefs.<ref>Barbados, World Resources Institute</ref><ref>Perspectives: A continuing problem and persistent threat Template:Webarchive. Barbadosadvocate.com. Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref> As of the first decade of the 21st century, a second treatment plant has been proposed along the island's west coast. Being so densely populated, Barbados has made great efforts to protect its underground aquifers.<ref name="barbadosadvocate.com">"PERSPECTIVES: Squatting – a continuing problem" Template:Webarchive. Barbadosadvocate.com (24 March 2008). Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref>

As a coral-limestone island, Barbados is highly permeable to seepage of surface water into the earth. The government has placed great emphasis on protecting the catchment areas that lead directly into the huge network of underground aquifers and streams.<ref name="barbadosadvocate.com"/> On occasion illegal squatters have breached these areas, and the government has removed squatters to preserve the cleanliness of the underground springs which provide the island's drinking water.<ref>"Squatters get thumbs down from MP Forde" Template:Webarchive. Nationnews.com (30 June 2010). Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref>

The government has placed a huge emphasis on keeping Barbados clean with the aim of protecting the environment and preserving offshore coral reefs which surround the island.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many initiatives to mitigate human pressures on the coastal regions of Barbados and seas come from the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Barbados' CZMU in demand Template:Webarchive. Barbadosadvocate.com (4 February 2012). Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref> Barbados has nearly Template:Convert of coral reefs just offshore and two protected marine parks have been established off the west coast.<ref>Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies Template:Webarchive, The University of the West Indies.</ref> Overfishing is another threat which faces Barbados.<ref>Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profiles Template:Webarchive, UN-FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department</ref>

Although on the opposite side of the Atlantic, and some Template:Convert west of Africa, Barbados is one of many places in the American continent that experience heightened levels of mineral dust from the Sahara Desert.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Some particularly intense dust episodes have been blamed partly for the impacts on the health of coral reefs<ref>The Effects of African Dust on Coral Reefs and Human Health Template:Webarchive. Coastal.er.usgs.gov (15 April 2014). Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref> surrounding Barbados or asthmatic episodes,<ref>When the Dust Settles (DAAC Study) Template:Webarchive, NASA</ref> but evidence has not wholly supported the former claim.<ref>The Impact of African Dust on Childhood Asthma Morbidity in Barbados Template:Webarchive. Commprojects.jhsph.edu. Retrieved April 2014.</ref>

Access to biocapacity in Barbados is much lower than world average. In 2016, Barbados had 0.17 global hectares<ref name=footprintdata>Template:Cite web</ref> of biocapacity per person within its territory, much less than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In 2016 Barbados used 0.84 global hectares of biocapacity per person - their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use approximately five times as much biocapacity as Barbados contains. As a result, Barbados is running a biocapacity deficit.<ref name=footprintdata/>

Wildlife

Template:Main Barbados is host to four species of nesting turtles (green turtles, loggerheads, hawksbill turtles, and leatherbacks) and has the second-largest hawksbill turtle-breeding population in the Caribbean.<ref>Caribbean Travel: Swim with the turtles in Barbados Template:Webarchive. Thestar.com (13 March 2012). Retrieved 20 April 2014.</ref> The driving of vehicles on beaches can crush nests buried in the sand and such activity is discouraged in nesting areas.<ref>Sea Turtles – Dive Operators Association of Barbados Template:Webarchive, Barbados Blue Inc.</ref>

Barbados is also the host to the green monkey. The green monkey is found in West Africa from Senegal to the Volta River. It has been introduced to the Cape Verde islands off north-western Africa, and the West Indian islands of Saint Kitts, Nevis, Saint Martin, and Barbados. It was introduced to the West Indies in the late 17th century when slave trade ships travelled to the Caribbean from West Africa. The green monkey is considered a very curious and mischievous/troublesome animal by locals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Demographics

File:Barbados bus stop.jpg

A bus stop in Barbados

The 2010 national census conducted by the Barbados Statistical Service reported a resident population of 277,821, of which 144,803 were female and 133,018 were male.<ref name=census>Template:Cite report</ref>

The life expectancy for Barbados residents Template:As of is 80 years. The average life expectancy is 83 years for females and 79 years for males (2020).<ref name="cia"/> Barbados and Japan have the highest per capita occurrences of centenarians in the world.<ref>Best, Tony (9 April 2005)Template:Cite web . nationnews.com.</ref>

The crude birth rate is 12.23 births per 1,000 people, and the crude death rate is 8.39 deaths per 1,000 people. The infant mortality rate was 11.057 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, according to UNICEF.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ethnicity

File:Bridgetown 049.jpg

People shopping in the capital Bridgetown

Close to 90% of all Barbadians (also known colloquially as "Bajan") are of Afro-Caribbean ancestry ("Afro-Bajans") and mixed ancestry. The remainder of the population includes groups of Europeans ("Anglo-Bajans" / "Euro-Bajans") mainly from the United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland, Germany, and Italy.Template:Citation needed Other European groups consisted of the French, Austrians, Spaniards, and Russians. Asians, predominantly from Hong Kong and India (both Hindu and Muslim) make up less than 1% of the population. Other groups in Barbados include people from the United States and Canada. Barbadians who return after years of residence in the United States and children born in America to Bajan parents are called "Bajan Yankees", a term considered derogatory by some.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Generally, Bajans recognise and accept all "children of the island" as Bajans, and refer to each other as such.Template:Citation needed

The biggest communities outside the Afro-Caribbean community are:

1. The Indo-Guyanese, an important part of the economy due to the increase of immigrants from partner countryTemplate:Clarify Guyana. There are reports of a growing Indo-Bajans diaspora originating from Guyana and India starting around 1990. Predominantly from southern India, they are growing in size but are smaller than the equivalent communities in Trinidad and Guyana.<ref>Template:Cite web.</ref><ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The Muslim Barbadians of Indian origin are largely of Gujarati ancestry. Many small businesses in Barbados are run and operated by Muslim-Indian Bajans.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
2. Euro-Bajans (5% of the population)<ref name="cia">Barbados Template:Webarchive CIA World Factbook</ref> have settled in Barbados since the 17th century, originating from England, Ireland, Portugal, and Scotland. In 1643, there were 37,200 whites in Barbados (86% of the population).<ref>Watson, Karl (17 February 2011) "Slavery and Economy in Barbados", BBC | History. Template:Webarchive, BBC.</ref> More commonly they are known as "White Bajans". Euro-Bajans introduced folk music, such as Irish music and Highland music, and certain place names, such as "Scotland District", a hilly region in the parish of St. Andrew. Among White Barbadians there exists an underclass known as Redlegs comprising followers of the Duke of Monmouth after his defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor, as well as the descendants of Irish indentured labourers and prisoners imported to the island.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Many additionally moved on to become the earliest settlers of modern-day North and South Carolina in the United States. Today the Redlegs number only around 400.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3. Chinese-Barbadians are a small portion of Barbados's wider Asian population.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> Chinese food and culture is becoming part of everyday Bajan culture.Template:Citation needed
4. Lebanese and Syrians form the island's Arab Barbadian community.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>
5. Jews arrived in Barbados just after the first settlers in 1627. Bridgetown is the home of Nidhe Israel Synagogue, one of the oldest Jewish synagogues in the Americas, dating from 1654, though the current structure was erected in 1833, replacing one ruined by the hurricane of 1831.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tombstones in the neighbouring cemetery date from the 1630s. Now under the care of the Barbados National Trust,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the site was deserted in 1929 but was saved and restored by the Jewish community beginning in 1986.Template:Citation needed
6. In the 17th century, Romani people were sent from the United Kingdom to work as slaves in the plantations in Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Languages

English is the official language of Barbados, and is used for communications, administration, and public services all over the island. In its capacity as the official language of the country, the standard of English tends to conform to vocabulary, pronunciations, spellings, and conventions akin to, but not exactly the same as, those of British English. For most people, however, Bajan Creole is the language of everyday life. It does not have a standardised written form, but it is used by over 90% of the population.Template:Citation needed

Religion

File:Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison-115165.jpg

Cathedral Church of Saint Michael and All Angels, Bridgetown

Christianity is the largest religion in Barbados, with the largest denomination being Anglican (23.9% of the population in 2019).<ref name="2019religion">Template:Cite web</ref> Other Christian denominations with significant followings in Barbados are the Catholic Church (administered by Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown), Pentecostals (19.5%), Jehovah's Witnesses, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and Spiritual Baptists.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The Church of England was the official state religion until its legal disestablishment by the Parliament of Barbados following independence.<ref name="2019religion"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> As of 2019, 21% of Barbadians report having no religion, making the non-religious the second largest group after Anglicans.<ref name=FOTR/> Smaller religions in Barbados include Hinduism, Islam, the Baháʼí Faith,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Judaism.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/>

The state is considered secular, guaranteeing freedom of religion or belief to all and featuring only symbolic allusions to a higher power in the preamble to the constitution.<ref name=FOTR>Template:Cite web</ref> Nearly half (45.5%) of all Barbadians reported no religious affiliation whatsoever in the 2021 Census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government and politics

File:Bridgetown barbados parliament building.jpg

The Barbados parliament building in Bridgetown

Barbados has been an independent country since 30 November 1966.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It functions as a parliamentary republic modelled on the British Westminster system. The head of state is the President of Barbados – presently Sandra Mason – elected by the Parliament of Barbados for a term of four years, and advised on matters of the Barbadian state by the Prime Minister of Barbados, who is head of government. There are 30 representatives within the House of Assembly, the lower chamber of Parliament. In the Senate, the upper chamber of Parliament, there are 21 senators.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Constitution of Barbados is the supreme law of the country.<ref>The official Constitution of Barbados Template:Webarchive (1966) version.</ref> Legislation is passed by the Parliament of Barbados but does not have the force of law unless the President grants her assent to that law. The right to withhold assent is absolute and cannot be overridden by Parliament.<ref>Pursuant to section 58 of the Constitution of Barbados Template:Webarchive
As amended by section 26 of the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2021 Template:Webarchive</ref> The Attorney General heads the independent judiciary.Template:Citation needed

During the 1990s, at the suggestion of Trinidad and Tobago's Patrick Manning, Barbados attempted a political union with Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. The project stalled after the then prime minister of Barbados, Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, became ill and his Democratic Labour Party lost the next general election.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>"Former PM: Caribbean doing/un-doing everything again and again" Template:Webarchive. NationNews.com. 14 July 2003</ref> Barbados continues to share close ties with Trinidad and Tobago and with Guyana, claiming the highest number of Guyanese immigrants after the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Barbados is a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political culture

Template:Main Barbados functions as a two-party system. The dominant political parties are the Democratic Labour Party and the incumbent Barbados Labour Party. Since independence on 30 November 1966, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has governed from 1966 to 1976; 1986 to 1994; and from 2008 to 2018; and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) has governed from 1976 to 1986; 1994 to 2008; and from 2018 to present.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Foreign relations

Template:Main Barbados follows a policy of nonalignment and seeks cooperative relations with all friendly states. Barbados is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS),<ref>BarbadosBusiness.gov.bb, The Barbados government's Regional and International affiliations</ref> the Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). In 2005, Barbados replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as its final court of appeal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Barbados has been a member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) since the group's founding in 1992.<ref name="singaporebook">Template:Cite bookaccess-date=28 March 2024</ref>

World Trade Organization, European Commission, CARIFORUM

Barbados is an original member (1995) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and participates actively in its work. It grants at least MFN treatment to all its trading partners. European Union relations and cooperation with Barbados are carried out both on a bilateral and a regional basis. Barbados is party to the Cotonou Agreement, through which, Template:As of, it is linked by an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Commission. The pact involves the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) subgroup of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). CARIFORUM is the only part of the wider ACP-bloc that has concluded the full regional trade-pact with the European Union. There are also ongoing EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and EU-CARIFORUM dialogues.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Trade policy has also sought to protect a small number of domestic activities, mostly food production, from foreign competition, while recognising that most domestic needs are best met by imports.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Military and law enforcement

The Barbados Defence Force has roughly 800 members. Within it, service members aged 14 to 18 years make up the Barbados Cadet Corps. The defence preparations of the island nation are closely tied to defence treaties with the United Kingdom, the United States, the People's Republic of China,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and other eastern Caribbean countries.

The Barbados Police Service is the sole law enforcement agency on the island of Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Administrative divisions

Template:Main Barbados is divided into 11 parishes:

Christ Church Saint Andrew Saint George Saint James Saint John Saint Joseph Saint Lucy Saint Michael Saint Peter Saint Philip Saint Thomas

Economy

File:2022 Barbados 1 oz Silver Caribbean Seahorse reverse.jpg

1 oz Silver Caribbean Seahorse – Sovereign coin backed by the Barbados government

Barbados is the 52nd richest country in the world in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita,<ref name=imf2>Barbados Template:Webarchive, International Monetary Fund.</ref> with a well-developed mixed economy and a moderately high standard of living. According to the World Bank, Barbados is one of 83 high income economies in the world.<ref>World Bank – Country Groups Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 6 June 2021.</ref> Despite this, a 2012 self-study in conjunction with the Caribbean Development Bank revealed that 20% of Barbadians live in poverty and nearly 10% cannot meet their basic daily food needs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Barbados was ranked 77th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Historically, the economy of Barbados was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but since the late 1970s and early 1980s it has diversified into the manufacturing and tourism sectors.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> Offshore finance and information services have become important foreign exchange earners.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Partly due to the staging of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the island saw a construction boom, with the development and redevelopment of hotels, office complexes, and homes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This slowed during the 2008 to 2012 world economic crisis and the recession.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The economy was strong between 1999 and 2000 but entered a recession in 2001 and 2002 due to decreases in tourism and consumer spending and the impact of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States and the 7 July 2005 London bombings in the United Kingdom. The economy rebounded in 2003 and grew from 2004 to 2008. The economy went into recession again from 2008 to 2013 before growing from 2014 to 2017. Then it declined to another recession from 2017 to 2019 during the world economic crisis. There were 23 downgrades by both Standard & Poor's and Moody's in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The economy showed signs of recovery with 3 upgrades from Standard and Poor's and Moody's in 2019. From 1 January to 31 March 2020 the economy had started to grow, but then it experienced another decline due to the COVID-19 economic recession.Template:Citation needed

Traditional trading partners include Canada, the Caribbean Community (especially Trinidad and Tobago), the United Kingdom, and the United States. Recent government administrations have continued efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage foreign direct investment, and privatise remaining state-owned enterprises. Unemployment dropped to 10.7% in 2003.<ref name="cia"/> However, it has since increased to 11.9% in second quarter, 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The European Union is assisting Barbados with a Template:€ program of modernisation of the country's International Business and Financial Services Sector.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Barbados maintains the third largest stock exchange in the Caribbean region. Template:As of, officials at the stock exchange were investigating the possibility of augmenting the local exchange with an International Securities Market (ISM) venture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Sovereign default and restructuring

By May 2018, Barbados's outstanding debt had climbed to Template:US$, more than 1.7 times the country's GDP. In June 2018 the government defaulted on its sovereign debt when it failed to make a coupon on Eurobonds maturing in 2035. Outstanding bond debt of Barbados reached Template:US$.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2019, Barbados concluded restructuring negotiations with a creditor group including investments funds Eaton Vance Management, Greylock Capital Management, Teachers Advisors, and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry. Creditors will exchange existing bonds for a new debt series maturing in 2029. The new bonds involve a principal "haircut" of approximately 26% and include a clause allowing for deferment of principal and capitalisation of interest in the event of a natural disaster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Health

The main hospital on the island is the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; however, Barbados has eight polyclinics across five parishes. There are also well-known medical care centres in Barbados such as Bayview Hospital, Sandy Crest Medical Centre and FMH Emergency Medical Clinic, and Urgent Care.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

File:Christ Church, Barbados 014.jpg

Schoolchildren in Saint Philip, Barbados

The Barbados literacy rate is ranked close to 100%.<ref name="unesco">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The mainstream public education system of Barbados is fashioned after the British model. The government of Barbados spends 6.7% of its GDP on education (2008).<ref name="cia"/>

All young people in the country must attend school until age 16. Barbados has over 70 primary schools and over 20 secondary schools throughout the island. There are a number of private schools, including those offering Montessori and International Baccalaureate education. Student enrolment at these schools represents less than 5% of the total enrolment of the public schools.Template:Citation needed

Certificate-, diploma- and degree-level education in the country is provided by the Barbados Community College, the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, Codrington College, and the Cave Hill campus and Open Campus of the University of the West Indies. Barbados is also home to several overseas medical schools, such as Ross University School of Medicine and the American University of Integrative Sciences, School of Medicine.Template:Citation needed

Culture

Template:Main Barbados is a blend of West African, Portuguese, Creole, Indian and British cultures. Citizens are officially called Barbadians, but are colloquially known as "Bajans" (pronounced ˈbājənz). This term evolved from "Badian" (a shortening of "Barbadian") during the 19th-century.<ref name="u035">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="n238">Template:Cite web</ref>

The largest carnival-like cultural event that takes place on the island is the Crop Over festival, which was established first in 1687 and reintroduced in 1974. As in many other Caribbean and Latin American countries, Crop Over is an important event for many people on the island, as well as the thousands of tourists that flock to there to participate in the annual events.<ref name="Encylopedia Britannica- Barbados"/> The festival includes musical competitions and other traditional activities, and features the majority of the island's homegrown calypso and soca music for the year. The male and female Barbadians who harvested the most sugarcane are crowned as the King and Queen of the crop.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Crop Over gets under way at the beginning of July and ends with the costumed parade on Kadooment Day, held on the first Monday of August. New calypso/soca music is usually released and played more frequently from the beginning of May to coincide with the start of the festival.Template:Citation needed

Art

Barbadian art has evolved over the centuries, influenced by the island's complex history, which includes Indigenous cultures, colonial periods, and the subsequent emergence of a vibrant post-colonial identity. The interplay of African, European, and Caribbean influences has given rise to a unique artistic heritage that continues to inspire contemporary artists.Template:Citation needed

The latter part of the 20th century and into the 21st century witnessed a cultural renaissance in Barbadian art now documented by Raskal Magazine. Artists began to explore diverse mediums and techniques, blending traditional practices with contemporary expressions. This period of experimentation contributed to the dynamic and multifaceted nature of Barbadian art, reflecting the island's openness to cultural exchange and adaptation.

Barbadian artists, mindful of their place within the global art community, began to engage with international artistic trends. This global perspective led to a cross-pollination of ideas, as artists drew inspiration from diverse sources while simultaneously contributing to the broader discourse on Caribbean and diasporic art.

Media

• Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Cuisine

File:Mount Gay Rum Visitors Centre, Spring Garden HWY, Barbados-002.jpg

Mount Gay Rum visitors centre

Bajan cuisine is a mixture of African, Indian, Irish, Creole and British influences. A typical meal consists of a main dish of meat or fish, normally marinated with a mixture of herbs and spices, hot side dishes, and one or more salads. A common Bajan side dish could be pickled cucumber, fish cakes, bake, etc. The meal is usually served with one or more sauces.<ref name=Totally>Barbados Food Template:Webarchive. Totally Barbados. Retrieved 25 January 2011.</ref> The national dish of Barbados is cou-cou and flying fish with spicy gravy.<ref>Barbados National Dish: Coucou & Flying Fish Template:Webarchive. Epicurian Tourist. 25 December 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2011.</ref> Another traditional meal is pudding and souse, a dish of pickled pork with spiced sweet potatoes.<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive.www.barbados.org. Retrieved 28 May 2015.</ref> A wide variety of seafood and meats are also available.Template:Citation needed

The Mount Gay Rum visitor's centre in Barbados claims to be the world's oldest remaining rum company, with the earliest confirmed deed from 1703. Cockspur Rum and Malibu are also from the island. Barbados is home to the Banks Barbados Brewery, which brews Banks Beer, a pale lager, as well as Banks Amber Ale.<ref>"Banks Beer: The Beer" Template:Webarchive. BanksBeer.com. Retrieved 9 March 2011.</ref> Banks also brews Tiger Malt, a non-alcoholic malted beverage. 10 Saints beer is brewed in Speightstown, St. Peter in Barbados and aged for 90 days in Mount Gay 'Special Reserve' Rum casks. It was first brewed in 2009 and is available in certain Caricom nations.<ref>"10 Saints beer". Template:Webarchive. Banks Beer. Retrieved 9 March 2011.</ref>

Music

File:Rihanna-brisbane.jpg

International pop star Rihanna, a native of Barbados, is a nine-time Grammy Award winner and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, selling over 200 million records worldwide.

In 2021, Rihanna was appointed as a National Hero of the country by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, during its presidential inauguration, which served to mark the country becoming a republic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sports

File:Horesandjockey.jpg

A horse and rider at Garrison Savannah

As in other Caribbean countries of British colonial heritage, cricket is very popular on the island. The West Indies cricket team usually includes several Barbadian players. In addition to several warm-up, group stage and few "Super Eight" matches, the country hosted the final of the 2007 Cricket World Cup and 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Barbados has produced many great cricketers including Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Everton Weekes, Gordon Greenidge, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Joel Garner, Desmond Haynes and Malcolm Marshall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Track and Field, sprinter Obadele Thompson won a bronze medal in the 100m at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. As of August 2022, he was the first Olympics medalist in the Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ryan Brathwaite<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> won a gold medal in the 110 metres hurdles at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rugby is also popular in Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Horse racing takes place at the Historic Garrison Savannah close to Bridgetown. Spectators can pay for admission to the stands. Admission to the Grand Stand costs between US$2.50 and US$5.00.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Basketball is an increasingly popular sport, played at school or college. The Barbados men's national team has additionally shown some international success, including a fifth-place finish in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Polo is very popular among the rich elite on the island and the "High-Goal" Apes Hill team is based at the St James's Club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Kensington Oval yes.jpg

Kensington Oval in Bridgetown hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup final. Cricket is one of the most followed games in Barbados and Kensington Oval is often referred to as the "Mecca in Cricket" due to its significance and contributions to the sport.

In golf, the Barbados Open, played at Royal Westmoreland Golf Club, was an annual stop on the European Seniors Tour from 2000 to 2009. In December 2006 the WGC-World Cup took place at the country's Sandy Lane resort on the Country Club course, an 18-hole course designed by Tom Fazio. The Barbados Golf Club is another course on the island.

Volleyball is also popular and is mainly played indoors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tennis is gaining popularity and Barbados is home to Darian King, who has achieved a career-high ranking of 106 in May 2017 and has played in the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2017 US Open.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Motorsports also play a role, with Rally Barbados occurring each summer and being listed on the FIA NACAM calendar. Also, the Bushy Park Circuit hosted the Race of Champions in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The presence of the trade winds along with favourable swells make the southern tip of the island an ideal location for wave sailing (an extreme form of the sport of windsurfing).

Barbados also hosts several international surfing competitions.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Netball is also popular with women in Barbados.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Several players in the National Football League (NFL) are from Barbados, including Robert Bailey, Roger Farmer, Elvis Joseph, Ramon Harewood and Sam Seale.<ref>Grasso, John (2013). Historical Dictionary of Football. Scarecrow Press. Page 484. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Each March, the Barbados Surf Pro surfing contest is held in Bathsheba. It is the season-ending event for the World Surf League's North American qualifying series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transport

File:Barbados Midibus1.jpg

A Hino ACME Minibus B 163 in Speightstown, St. Peter, Barbados

Although Barbados is about Template:Cvt across at its widest point, a car journey from Six Cross Roads in St. Philip (south-east) to North Point in St. Lucy (north-central) can take one and a half hours or longer due to traffic. Barbados has half as many registered cars as citizens. In Barbados, drivers drive on the left side of the road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Barbados is known for its many roundabouts. One famous roundabout is located east of Bridgetown and holds the Emancipation Statue of the slave Bussa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transport on the island is relatively convenient with "route taxis" called "ZRs" (pronounced "Zed-Rs") travelling to most points on the island. These small buses can at times be crowded, as passengers are generally never turned down regardless of the number. They will usually take the more scenic routes to destinations. They generally depart from the capital Bridgetown or from Speightstown in the northern part of the island.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Including the ZRs, there are three bus systems running seven days a week (though less frequently on Sundays). There are ZRs, the yellow minibuses and the blue Transport Board buses. A ride on any of them costs Template:Currency.<ref>Fare Policy Template:Webarchive: Barbados Transport Board</ref> The smaller buses from the two privately owned systems ("ZRs" and "minibuses") can give change; the larger blue buses from the government-operated Barbados Transport Board system cannot, but do give receipts. The Barbados Transport Board buses travel in regular bus routes and scheduled timetables across Barbados. Schoolchildren in school uniform including some Secondary schools ride for free on the government buses and for Template:Currency on the ZRs. Most routes require a connection in Bridgetown. Barbados Transport Board's headquarters are located at Kay's House, Roebuck Street, St. Michael, and the bus depots and terminals are located in the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal in Fairchild Street and the Princess Alice Bus Terminal (which was formerly the Lower Green Bus Terminal in Jubilee Gardens, Bridgetown, St. Michael) in Princess Alice Highway, Bridgetown, St. Michael; the Speightstown Bus Terminal in Speightstown, St. Peter; the Oistins Bus Depot in Oistins, Christ Church; and the Mangrove Bus Depot in Mangrove, St. Philip. In July 2020, the Barbados Transport Board received 33 BYD electric buses which were obtained not only to add to the ageing fleet of diesel buses but also to assist the Government in their goal of eliminating the use of fossil fuels by 2030.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Some hotels also provide visitors with shuttles to points of interest on the island from outside the hotel lobby. There are several locally owned and operated vehicle rental agencies in Barbados but there are no multi-national companies.Template:Citation needed

The island's lone airport is the Grantley Adams International Airport. It receives daily flights by several major airlines from points around the globe,<ref name="Caribbean Journal 2023 p507">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Jamaica Gleaner 2024 j994">Template:Cite news</ref> as well as several smaller regional commercial airlines and charters.<ref name="Epstein 2023 b660">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Airways 2023 h266">Template:Cite news</ref> The airport serves as a southern air-transportation hub for the Caribbean.<ref name="Traffic 2023 q584">Template:Cite news</ref> It underwent a Template:US$ upgrade and expansion from 2003 to 2006.<ref name="Airport Technology 2017 g678">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023, it began conversion of its former Concorde terminal and museum to a new departure terminal,<ref name="Caribbean Journal 2023 q165">Template:Cite web</ref> and in December 2023, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced the negotiations for a Template:US$ for additional airport development.<ref name="Deane 2023 h296">Template:Cite news</ref>

The Bridgetown seaport is the primary port of call for commercial container and cruise traffic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Today 2023 o421">Template:Cite web</ref> Maritime traffic is managed by the Barbados Port Inc., formally Barbados Port Authority.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Until 2009 when Bajan Helicopter closed their doors, they offered helicopter shuttle services.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Air traffic is managed by the Barbados Civil Aviation Department.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Outline of Barbados
• Index of Barbados-related articles
• Barbadian people
• List of people from Barbados
• List of Barbadian Americans
• List of Barbadian Britons

Further reading

• Burns, Sir Alan, History of the British West Indies. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1965.
• Davis, David Brion. Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Template:ISBN
• Frere, Samuel, A Short History of Barbados: From its First Discovery and Settlement, to the End of the Year 1767. London: J. Dodsley, 1768.
• Gragg, Larry Dale, Englishmen transplanted: The English Colonization of Barbados, 1627–1660. Oxford University Press, 2003. Template:ISBN
• Hamshere, Cyril, The British in the Caribbean. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1972.
• Newman, Simon P. A New World of Labor: The Development of Slavery in the British Atlantic. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. Template:ISBN
• Northrup, David, ed. The Atlantic Slave Trade, Second Edition. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Template:ISBN
• O'Shaughnessy, Andrew Jackson, An Empire Divided: The American Revolution and the British Caribbean. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000. Template:ISBN
• Rogozinski, January 1999. A Brief History of the Caribbean: From the Arawak and Carib to the Present. Revised version, New York, USA. Template:ISBN
• Scott, Caroline 1999. Insight Guide Barbados. Discovery Channel and Insight Guides; fourth edition, Singapore. Template:ISBN
• Template:CIA World Factbook

External links

• Template:Official website
• Government of Barbados Official Information Service
• Official webpage of Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados
• Parliament of Barbados official website
• Barbados Tourism Authority—The Ministry of Tourism
• Central Bank of Barbados website
• Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCC&I)
• Barbados Investment and Development Corporation
• Barbados Maritime Ship Registry
• Barbados Museum & Historical Society Template:Webarchive

General information

• Template:Wikiatlas
• Template:Osmrelation-inline