Barbados, island country in the southeastern Caribbean Sea,
situated about 100 miles (160 km) east of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines. Roughly triangular in shape, the island measures
some 20 miles (32 km) from northwest to southeast and about 15
miles (25 km) from east to west at its widest point. The capital and
largest town is Bridgetown, which is also the main seaport.
Barbados
The geographic position of Barbados has profoundly influenced the
island’s history and culture and aspects of its economic life.
Barbados is not part of the nearby archipelago of the Lesser
Antilles, although it is usually grouped with it. The island is of
different geologic formation; it is less mountainous and has less
variety in plant and animal life. As the first Caribbean landfall from
Europe and Africa, Barbados has functioned since the late 17th
century as a major link between western Europe (mainly Great
Britain), eastern Caribbean territories, and parts of the South
American mainland. The island was a British possession without
interruption from the 17th century to 1966, when it attained
independence. Because of its long association with Britain, the
culture of Barbados is probably more British than is that of any
other Caribbean island, though elements of the African culture of
the majority population have been prominent. Since independence,
cultural nationalism has been fostered as part of the process of
nation-building.
Quick Facts
See article: flag of Barbados
Audio File: National anthem of Barbados
Head Of Government: Prime Minister: Mia Mottley
Capital: Bridgetown
Population: (2025 est.) 264,300
Head Of State: President: Dame Sandra Mason
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Form Of Government: parliamentary republic with two legislative houses (Senate [21 ]; House
of Assembly [30])
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The rocks underlying Barbados consist of sedimentary deposits,
including thick shales, clays, sands, and conglomerates, laid down
approximately 70 million years ago. Above these rocks are chalky
deposits, which were capped with coral before the island rose to
the surface. A layer of coral up to 300 feet (90 metres) thick covers
the island, except in the northeast physiographic region known as
the Scotland District, which covers about 15 percent of the area,
where erosion has removed the coral cover. The government has
adopted a conservation plan to prevent further erosion.
Relief, drainage, and soils
Mount Hillaby, the highest point in Barbados, rises to 1,102 feet
(336 metres) in the north-central part of the island. To the west the
land drops down to the sea in a series of terraces. East from Mount
Hillaby, the land declines sharply to the rugged upland of the
Scotland District. Southward, the highlands descend steeply to the
broad St. Georges Valley; between the valley and the sea the land
rises to 400 feet (120 metres) to form Christ Church Ridge. Coral
reefs surround most of the island. Sewerage systems were installed
in the late 20th century to address the threat to the reefs from
runoff of fertilizers and untreated waste.
There are no significant rivers or lakes and only a few streams,
springs, and ponds. Rainwater percolates quickly through the
underlying coralline limestone cap, draining into underground
streams, which are the main source of the domestic water supply. A
desalination plant provides additional fresh water.
Britannica QuizBarbados has mainly residual soils. They are clayey and
rich in lime and phosphates. Soil type varies with elevation; thin
black soils occur on the coastal plains, and more-fertile
yellow-brown or red soils are usually found in the highest parts of
the coral limestone.
