Barbados

This article is about the easternmost country in the Caribbean; not to be confused with Barbuda. For other uses, see Barbados (disambiguation).

Barbados
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Pride and Industry"
Anthem: "National Anthem of Barbados"
Capital and largest city	Bridgetown 13°05′52″N 59°37′06″W
Official languages	English
Vernacular language	Bajan Creole
Ethnic groups (2020)	92.4% African 3.1% Mixed 2.7% White 1.3% Indian 0.3% others
Religion (2020)	75.6% Christianity 20.6% No religion 2.0% Baháʼí Faith 1.3% Islam 0.5% others
Demonyms	Barbadian Bajan
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic
• President	Jeffrey Bostic
• Prime Minister	Mia Mottley
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Assembly
Independence  from the United Kingdom
• Part of the West Indies Federation	03 January 1958 – 31 May 1962
• Barbados Independence Act 1966 as a Commonwealth realm	30 November 1966
• Admitted to the UN	07 December 1966
• Joined CARICOM at the Treaty of Chaguaramas	01 August 1973
• Republic established	30 November 2021
Area
• Total	439 km2 (169 sq mi) (183rd)
• Water (%)	Negligible
Population
• 2023 estimate	281,998 (174th)
• 2021 census	269,090 (174th)
• Density	660/km2 (1,709.4/sq mi) (17th)
GDP (PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$5.436 billion (175th)
• Per capita	$18,738 (90th)
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$6.220 billion (165th)
• Per capita	$21,442 (50th)
Gini (2016)	34.1 medium inequality
HDI (2023)	0.811 very high (69th)
Currency	Barbadian dollar ($) (BBD)
Time zone	UTC−04:00 (AST)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Calling code	+1
ISO 3166 code	BB
Internet TLD	.bb

Barbados is an island nation in the Caribbean located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and is the southern and easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean plates. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.

Inhabited by Kalinago people since the 13th century, and prior to that by other Indigenous peoples, the island was originally named Ichirouganaim. It was claimed for the Crown of Castile by Spanish navigators in the late 15th century, who named it "Barbudos", and it first appeared on a Spanish map in 1511. The Portuguese Empire claimed the island between 1532 and 1536, but abandoned it in 1620 with their only remnants being the introduction of wild boars intended as a supply of meat whenever the island was visited. The indigenous population was mostly sold into slavery, killed or died of disease by this time.

An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados on 14 May 1625; its men took possession of the island in the name of King James I. In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and Barbados became an English and later British colony. During this period, the colony operated on a plantation economy, relying initially on the labour of Irish indentured servants and subsequently African slaves who worked on the island's plantations. Slavery continued until it was phased out through most of the British Empire by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. The descendants of these enslaved Africans now account for over 90% of the island's population.

On 30 November 1966, Barbados moved toward political independence and assumed the status of a Commonwealth realm, becoming a sovereign state with Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados. On 30 November 2021, Barbados transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth, replacing its monarchy with a ceremonial president.

Barbados is ranked as one of the Caribbean's leading tourist destinations.