Barbados is an eastern Caribbean island and an independent British Commonwealth nation. Bridgetown, the capital, is a cruise-ship port with colonial buildings and Nidhe Israel, a synagogue founded in 1654. Around the island are beaches, botanical gardens, the Harrison’s Cave formation, and 17th-century plantation houses like St. Nicholas Abbey. Local traditions include afternoon tea and cricket, the national sport.
Languages: The official language of Barbados is English, which is spoken by the majority of the population. English is used in government, education, and the media, and it is the language of instruction in schools. In addition to English, there are also a number of local dialects spoken in Barbados, including Barbadian Creole, which is a blend of English, African, and other languages. Finally, Spanish is also spoken by some people in Barbados, particularly among those who have immigrated from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ethnic Groups: black 92.4%, white 2.7%, mixed 3.1%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)
Belief Systems: Protestant 66.4% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.)
Demographics:
Population: 275746 people (World Rank: 184th) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 1661 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 19th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 0.223 %/yr (World Rank: 193rd) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 75.4 years (World Rank: 90th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 36.2 years (World Rank: 51st) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Barbados
Worldatlas.com
Country Profile - Barbados
United Nations
Barbados
Wikipedia.org
Barbados - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Barbados - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress profile of Barbados
Culture and Tourism:
Tourism Barbados
All about Barbados as a tourism destination
Crop Over Festival
Cultural Festival Celebrating Local Sugar Cane harvest
Music of Barbados
Face-music.ch
Recipes from Barbados
Buzzfeed.com
Government Related:
Barbadian Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Barbadian Government Websites
by Gunnar Anzinger
