Barbados

Description of Barbados

The motto of Barbados is “Pride and Industry”. The capital city is Bridgetown, and the official language is English. Barbados is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles. It is just 21 miles in length and 14 miles in width. It is located in the western part of the North Atlantic. Barbados is outside the main area of the Atlantic hurricane belt.

Navigators from Spain first discovered in the 1500s, and it was claimed for Spain. Barbados can be seen on a Spanish map dating from 1511. It was discovered shortly after America was. Its history of European discovery and exploration goes back a very long way indeed. The Portuguese came to the island in 1536, but they left it without claiming it. They left several wild hogs on the island so that they would have food to eat whenever they returned. The first ship from England, the Olive Blossom, arrived on the island in 1624. They claimed the island in the name of King James I. The first permanent English settlers arrived from England in 1627, and it became a British colony soon after it was an official English colony. 

The United Kingdom continued to play a role on the island for centuries to come, and in 1966 it became an independent Commonwealth realm and state. Even though it was still classified as an Atlantic Island, Barbados is still classified as a part of the Caribbean Sea. It is regarded as a major tourist destination, and it is one of the most developed islands in the region.

Culture 

The influence of the British and English on the island is a lot more noticeable than on the many other islands in the region. The national sport, cricket, is a great example of how English culture has influenced the island. Barbados has turned out some amazing cricketers, including Sir Frank Worrell. 

Residents and citizens of the island are called Barbadians. Sometimes, the local term “Bajan” is used. It could have come from a localized pronunciation of “Barbadian”. 

The Crop Over festival is the biggest carnival-like event on the island. Crop Over is an important event for many Latin American and Caribbean countries. There are thousands of tourists that come to the island to participate in the yearly events. The festival has traditional activities, as well as musical competitions. You can listen to a representative sample of the island’s soca and calypso music. The man and woman from Barbados who harvested the most sugarcane are known as the Queen and King of the crop, and they are crowned for it. Crop Over starts in July and it ends with a parade on Kadooment Day, which happens on the first Monday in August. 

One of the best-known international music artists from Barbados is Rihanna.

Literacy Rate 

The literary rate in Barbados is near 100%. Barbados is actually in the top five countries worldwide.

Some facts about Barbados

Gallery of Barbados

Barbados video guide

More information about Barbados

Top cities of Barbados