| Barbados - Gem of the Caribbean Sea |
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'Beautiful beautiful Barbados
Gem of the Caibbean Sea
Beautiful beautiful Barbados
Come back to my island and me.'
The Merrymen
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Peaceful goats meander over gently rolling hills, nibbling on the short grasses. The hills give way to sandstone cliffs that drop dramatically to the sea, where gigantic waves crash on the rocks and hiss up in great geysers through the blowholes. It is called the Scotland Country. But there are no chilling fogs or icy winds here. For these hills are in the northern part of Barbados, land of eternal warmth and sunshine. The south and westerly parts of this island, being flatter, are lined with fine sand beaches, lapped by the peaceful blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.
As far back as the 1700's New Englanders came to Barbados for its therapeutic climate. Today it is one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. In addition to the wonderful beaches, it has other fascinating features such as underground caverns, the most famous of which is Harrison's Caves, where you can travel by boat along a subterranean stream surrounded by stalagmites and stalactites and cascading waterfalls. It is rumoured that the pirate Blackbeard hid his treasures in remote island caves. Another unsavoury fellow, known as Sam Lord, is infamous for hanging lanterns on the palm trees opposite jagged coral reefs, causing ships to run aground whereupon he would loot the cargo The luxurious hotel Sam Lord's Castle, named after this rogue who reportedly ended his days in an English jail.
The early inhabitants of Barbados were Arawak and Carib Indians. In 1536 a Portuguese sailor came upon the island, and named it "Los Barbados" (the bearded ones) after the banyan trees whose aerial roots look like beards. In the 1600's the British colonized the island, planting sugarcane, and it soon became known as Little England.Barbados enjoyed 339 years of peaceful British rule, and was granted independence in 1966. The British heritage still lingers on, and the local people, called Bajans, are friendly and helpful toward visitors.
The island provides an excellent educational system and boasts almost a hundred percent literacy rate. Barbados enjoys economic and political stability, and a justice system based on English common law. There are various tax and other incentives to entice foreign industry and investment. A modern infrastructure provides good electric, water, telecommunication and road systems. These factors, and the motivated productive work force, make Barbados an attractive place for business and tourism.
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QUICK OVERVIEW
Location: 13 degrees north of the equator, the most easterly of the Caribbean islands.
Type: Limestone coral.
Language: English
Currency: Barbadian dollar
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Area: 166 square miles, 21 miles long and 14 miles wide.
Population: Approximately 282,000
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