Barbados is anislandcountry in the Atlantic Ocean. The island has anarea of about 430km². Its capital and largest city isBridgetown. The officiallanguage of Barbados isEnglish. Barbados is a populartourist destination. In 2008, the island had a population of about 284,000 people.[7] About 80,000 live in or around Bridgetown.[8]
The earliest inhabitants of Barbados wereNative Americans. Barbados was first visited by the Spanish around the late 1400s to early 1500s. It first was on a Spanish map in 1511.[11] The native Arawaks may have fled or been enslaved.[11] The Portuguese visited in 1536. They brought wild hogs for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. The first English ship, theOlive Blossom, came in 1624. They said the island belonged to the British kingJames I. Two years later in 1627 the first permanent settlers arrived from England.[12] Slaves fromAfrica were sent to Barbados to work on sugar plantations.
The Barbados Defence Force has roughly 600 members.The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established August 15, 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The headquarters for the Barbados Defence Force are in the St. Ann's Fort area at The Garrison, Saint Michael.There are three main components of the BDF:Force Headquarters — provided administrative and logistical support for the entire forceThe Barbados Regiment — this is the main land force component, and encompasses both regular and reserve units.Barbados Coast Guard — this is the maritime element, with responsibility for patrolling Barbados' territorial waters as well as drug interdiction and humanitarian and life-saving exercises. It too encompasses both regular and reserve units.Barbados Cadet Corp — Military youth organisation. Includes Infantry and Sea Cadets. This organisation was started in 1904. The first females joined the cadet corps in 1970s to 1980s.The Cadet Corps has a pledge and also a song. It started with 3 normal units but today has expanded to 22. These units are grouped into Zones. There are also a band, sea cadet and medical units along with a shooting programme.In 1981 a Cessna 402C entered service as part of the air wing.
Barbados is the easternmost island in theLesser Antilles. It is flat in comparison to its island neighbours to the west. The highest point of the nation isMount Hillaby.
The country usually has two seasons. The "wet season" is from June to November. The "dry season" is from December to May.
The population of Barbados is about 300,000 people, nearly 90% of that is predominantly ofAfrican and Mixed descent, 6% areAsian and 4% Whites. There is also anEast Indian minority on the island andChinese and other ethnic groups. Gypsies were expelled to Barbados during the colonial era. There is also a sizable Jewish, Arab and Irish population in Barbados.
The influence of theEnglish on Barbados is more noticeable than on other islands in the West Indies. A good example of this is the island's national sport:cricket. Barbados has had several great cricketers, includingSir Garfield Sobers andSir Frank Worrell.
Citizens are officially called Barbadians.
In the music business,Rihanna (born Robyn Fenty) is one of Barbados' best-knownGrammy winning artists.
In Barbados, the official language is English. But they also speak an English-African Creole language known asBajan.
Over half a million tourists visit Barbados every year. Barbados has several beautiful beaches which are well maintained and the sea water is crystal clear. There are also features such as Blackmans Gully, Barbados Wildlife Reserve and Harrison’s Cave which have been developed for tourism.[16]
The annual Crop Over festival attracts many visitors to Barbados. Barbados also has a rich history. Many historic sites and buildings such as Sunbury Plantation House and St. Nicholas Abbey have been preserved or restored. Visitors can visit these sites and learn about the history of Barbados.[17]
A joint tourism initiative has been undertaken between Barbados and the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) to the tune of US$20 million. It is aimed at repositioning the tourism sector through the implementation of key tourism initiatives.[18]
.svg)
