Barbados

Republic of Barbados
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Pride and Industry"
Anthem: In Plenty and In Time of Need
Capital and largest city	Bridgetown 13°06′N 59°37′W / 13.100°N 59.617°W / 13.100; -59.617
Official languages	English
Recognised regional languages	Bajan Creole
Ethnic groups (est. 2010[1])	92.4% Afro-Barbadian 3.1% Multiracial 2.7% White Barbadian 1.3% Indians in Barbados 0.5% other/unspecified
Religion	75.6% Christian 2.5% other 20.6% none 1.2% unspecified[1]
Demonym(s)	Barbadian Bajan (colloquial)
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic
• President	Dame Sandra Mason
• Prime Minister	Mia Mottley
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Assembly
Independence  from the United Kingdom
• Sovereignty established	30 November 1966
• Admitted to the UN	7 December 1966
• Republic established	30 November 2021
Area
• Total	439 km2 (169 sq mi) (183rd)
• Water (%)	Negligible
Population
• 2019 estimate	287,025[2] (182nd)
• 2010 census	277,821[3]
• Density	660/km2 (1,709.4/sq mi) (15th)
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	$5.398 billion
• Per capita	$18,798[4]
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$5.207 billion
• Per capita	$18,133[4]
HDI (2019)	0.814[5] very high · 58th
Currency	Barbadian dollar ($) (BBD)
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Not observed)
Driving side	left[6]
Calling code	+1-246
ISO 3166 code	BB
Internet TLD	.bb

Barbados is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. The island has an area of about 430 km². Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown. The official language of Barbados is English. Barbados is a popular tourist destination. In 2008, the island had a population of about 284,000 people.^[7] About 80,000 live in or around Bridgetown.^[8]

The island is in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea.^[9] It is about 168 kilometres (104 mi) east of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and 400 kilometres (250 mi) north-east of Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados is outside of the main Atlantic hurricane belt.

The island's only airport is the Grantley Adams International Airport. It abolished the monarchy and became a republic on 30 November 2021.^[10]

Barbados produces rum.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Cite error: The named reference cia was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
2. ↑ United Nations. "World Population Prospects 2019".
3. ↑ "Barbados – General Information". GeoHive. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". www.imf.org. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
5. ↑ Human Development Report 2020 The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 15 December 2020. pp. 343–346. ISBN 978-92-1-126442-5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
6. ↑ "Barbados". 29 August 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. (fco.gov.uk), updated 5 June 2006.
7. ↑ Staff (2008). "Latest Socio-Economic Indicators". Barbados Statistical Service. Archived from the original on 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
8. ↑ Staff (2008). "Places of interest – BRIDGETOWN". Government of Barbados. Archived from the original on 2010-09-13.
9. ↑ Chapter 4 – The Windward Islands and Barbados – U.S. Library of Congress
10. ↑ "Governor General Dame Sandra named first president-elect". Loop Barbados. Retrieved 21 October 2021.