About Barbados
Quick Facts about Barbados:
Population: 275,000+
Elevation: 190 feet
Barbados Dollar: US $1 = BDS $1.98 (see current exchange rate)
Capital city: Bridgetown
Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Primary Language: English
Electricity: 115V/50Hz (North American plug)
Time Zone: UTC-4 (Eastern Standard Time)
"Pride and Industry" is the motto of this jewel of the Caribbean, situated in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 270 miles northeast of Venezuela.
Considered part of the Lesser Antilles, Barbados is located to the east of its closest neighbors, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and Grenadines, and is approximately 166 square miles. To give you an idea of just how small Barbados is, the state of Texas in the United States is just under 270,000 square miles - that's over 1600 times the land mass of our island home!
Barbados is a former British Colony, and a member of the Commonwealth. Though the first recorded Western explorer to Barbados (originally called Los Barbados, which means "the bearded ones") was Portuguese, the island was settled by the British in the early 1600s and remained part of the vast British Empire until just forty five years ago, when it was recognized as an independent nation within the Commonwealth of Nations.
England is evident in the architecture found in Bridgetown and the many Anglican churches. The lifestyle of the people is truly West Indian, as is demonstrated in its music, dance and cuisine.
Today Barbados is governed by a Parliament modeled after that of its previous ruler, with Queen Elizabeth II as our symbolic sovereign. Certain aspects of our culture and recreation are evident of English influence - cricket and golf are popular sports, and yes, like the British we drive on the left hand side of the road!
Going to church on Sundays is a major part of the week for a lot of Bajans. Most people are of Anglican decent. No one goes to church without wearing their Sunday best, complete with colourful hats on the ladies, and the men in their suits.
Barbadians refer to themselves coloquially as "Bajans". Fiercely proud and patriotic about their island, you will encounter a cultural cohesiveness with such ad campaigns as "Buy Bajan", "100% Bajan" and the current "I Am Bajan".
Barbados weather is mostly sunny and fair with warm days, cooler winds and cozy nights. It is generally warm and sunny all year round with an average daytime high of 75 - 85 F. Temperatures vary very little between summer and winter, usually about 5 degrees. A typical daily weather forecast in Barbados reads, "fair to partly cloudy with a few scattered showers".
Believe it or not, some people actually put on a sweater in the cool, night "winter time" breezes. Barbadians also complain that the sea is "too cold" when it is 78 F.
The rain typically falls in the summer months and a good rainfall is refreshing and much needed. The rain seldom falls for very long and is quickly followed by sunny skies and in minutes everything will be dry.
Tropical rainstorms sometimes occur in the hurricane season which oficially runs from June to October.
Hurricanes usually avoid Barbados. They arise off the African coast and head to the Caribbean, swinging North about 100 miles from Barbados. The pattern is reasonably consistent as hurricanes tend to bounce from one land mass to the next, and Barbados is somewhat separate from the Caribbean island chain.
This does not of course make us immune, but the last occasion when Barbados suffered a direct hit was in 1955.
Please note that when you come to Barbados, you must have a valid passport for entry, even if you are from the United States, so be sure your passports are ready.
We hope you will take the time to browse our site and learn how BarbadosBarbados.com can help the ultimate Caribbean getaway for you. Experience Barbados for a week or two, and savour the memories for a lifetime.
