Barbados Facts

Barbados Facts and History

North America

Barbados – The small island nation in the Atlantic Ocean

About 320 kilometers from Trinidad in the Atlantic Ocean is the easternmost island in the Caribbean. It is included in the Lesser Antilles, i.e. the chain of islands that stretches from the Virgin Islands to the coast of Venezuela and forms the West Indies with the Greater Antilles and the famous Bahamas. The small island state, where English is the official language and the Creole dialect Bajan is spoken, is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. In addition to the island itself, the tiny Culpepper Island off the east coast is also part of Barbados. This is little more than 2,000 large rock that protrudes about 10 meters from the sea and is connected to the main island by a 30 meter wide canal. The rest of Barbados is flat and level and only a little hilly in the north. The highest point of the island kingdom is Mount Hillaby with a height of just 336 meters.

About 93% of the bayan, as the islanders are called colloquially, have an African origin. These “Afro-Bajans” are mostly descendants of the slave laborers from the black continent who once had to work on the sugar plantations. Creoles (half African-Caribbean and European) form the second main group in terms of percentage. But also some Europeans (Anglo-Bajans “or” Euro-Bajans “) especially from Great Britain and Ireland are among them as well as Chinese (” Bajan-Chiney), Indians (“Bajan Hindus”), Bengali and Pakistani (“Arab-Bajans” The island’s standard of living is one of the highest in the world. In 2006, the small state came 31st of all rated countries in the world, even leaving Canada behind.

The wonderful Barbados with the year-round warm (tropical) climate attracts with indescribably beautiful beaches, on which the fine sand shimmers white, yellow and pink and is washed by a calm sea. Above all on the Caribbean west coast, there are exquisite holiday complexes, large hotels and magnificent villas, some of which are in attractive gardens, which promise the (well-heeled) visitor an unforgettable holiday, often hidden in small bays. On the east coast, on the other hand, the roaring surf of the Atlantic beats against the rocks of the island in a contrasting manner. Sugar cane is grown because the soil there is extremely fertile.

The approximately 430 km² island of Barbados is a paradise for everyone who visits it. In addition to the exuberant cultural festivals, you can experience the breathtaking natural wonders of the island, such as the Chattel Houses – colorful, formerly movable wooden houses in which the plantation workers once lived. Their “owners”, on the other hand, resided in stately country estates, which form a harsh contrast. The capital of the island kingdom is the delightful Bridgetown with the impressive parliament building as well as the picturesque harbor, where the snow-white yachts moor and in the vicinity of which many people go into raptures at the latest when the sun, like every evening, fiery announces the end of a normal day in Barbados. In 2008 the smallest – non-venomous – snake on earth was discovered here. It lives in a forest on the east side of the island and reaches a length of approx. 10 cm. The snake has the scientific name “Leptotyphlops carlae”.

Name of the country Babados
Form of government Commonwealth Constitutional Monarchy
Geographical location Barbados is the easternmost island in the Antilles. It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean.
National anthem In Plenty and In Time of Need
National holiday November 30th, Independence Day (1966)
Population Approx. 286,000 (Credit: Countryaah: Barbados Population)
Ethnicities Descendants of West Africans 93%Descendants of English settlers, mulattos, Asians, etc. 8%
Religions Anglican Christians 70%Non-denominational 20%

Catholics 4%

Languages English is the official language. The so-called Bajan English is spoken.
Capital Bridgetown with about 110,000 residents
Surface 430.00 km²
Highest mountain Mount Hillaby height of 340 meters
International license plate BB
National currency Barbados dollars
Time difference to CET – 5 h
International phone code +1246
Mains voltage, frequency 115 volts and 50 Hertz(An adapter is required.)
Internet TLD (Top Level Domain) .bb

Barbados: history

Before 1500

The first settlers of Barbados were Indians of the Aruak and Carib tribe , who lived primarily as hunters and gatherers. But when the first Europeans arrived, they were already extinct. The reason for their extinction is still not clearly understood.

Discovery in 1493 to settlement in 1628

According to Abbreviationfinder website, Christopher Columbus discovered Barbados in 1493. Barbados soon became a Portuguese colony.

Piracy and the colonial era until the abolition of slavery in 1834

In 1625 the English crown took over the island from the Portuguese. In 1627 Great Britain began to settle the deserted island. A plantation economy based on slave labor developed, which made the country a large producer of sugar, rum and syrup. Barbados had the third oldest parliament in the Commonwealth. The first parliament was established as early as 1639: the House of Burgesses. After conflicts with Great Britain, the rights of parliament and those of the citizens of Barbados were laid down in a constitution in 1652, the “Charter of Barbados, or Articles of Agreement”. This constitutional charter, similar to the Magna Charta, guaranteed freedom of religion, the rule of law, property, parliamentary rights and independence.

1834 until independence in 1973

The British government abolished slavery in its colonial empire between 1834 and 1838. As a result, the plantation economy on the islands of the Caribbean got into difficulties and agriculture was restructured into smaller businesses. The former slaves gradually got the same rights as the white minority. It was not until 1840 that the first black man sat in the Chamber of Deputies. For a long time political influence was reserved for the haves. In the twenties, which was Democratic League of Charles Duncan O’Neal the forerunner of the modern Democratic Party. The Barbados Labor Party (BLP) dominated political life until 1961 as the Democratic Labor Party, a splinter group that had split off from the Labor Party, took power. After independence in 1966, Barbados was ruled by BLP party leader Sir Grantley Adams. After the Second World War, a powerful tourism industry emerged, which has meanwhile taken the economic rank from agriculture. In 1966 Barbados became independent.

Independence since 1966

In 1986 the Democratic Labor Party won a majority and the country was ruled by Prime Ministers of the DLR: Errol Barrow, Prime Minister until 1987 and by Erskine Sandiford until 1994. Under Owen Arthur, the Barbados Labor Party won the 1994 elections.

Barbados Facts