Map of Barbados

Barbados is an island nation located at the southern end of the Lesser Antilles island group of the Caribbean. Neighboring islands include the Windward Islands, which are also in the Lesser Antilles, as well as the islands of the Greater Antilles and the West Indies, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Trinidad and Tobago. The capital and largest city of Barbados is Bridgetown. Barbados covers an area of 431 square kilometers (166 square miles), and measures about 34 kilometers (21 miles) long, and 23 kilometers (14 miles) wide.

Barbados was originally inhabited as far back as the 4th century AD by the native people, and the Kalinago people arrived from South America in about the 13th century. European explorers arrived in the 16th century from Spain and Portugal, and later from England around 1627. The British colonized the island, and Barbados eventually gained independence on November 30, 1966, and is now a constitutional monarchy modeled after Britain.

The population of Barbados is estimated at 284,589 people, and is one of the most densely populated countries in the Americas. The vast majority – about 90 percent – of the population are Afro-Caribbeans, while the rest are from Europe, especially the UK, and Asia, especially from China and India. The most populous cities in Barbados are Bridgetown, Speightstown, and Oistins.

English is the official language of Barbados, and a regional dialect of English, called Bajan, is spoken commonly. The major religion in Barbados is Christianity, with minority populations of Hindus, Muslims, and others.

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Last Updated On : February 28, 2013