10 Random Facts about Barbados

Barbados is an island country that belongs to the Lesser Antilles. The country is located in the western area of the North Atlantic Ocean and is approximately 100 kilometers east of the Caribbean Sea. The country first came under the rule of the Portuguese, but later in 1625 was passed on to the English who back then converted it into one of their many colonies. In 1966, Barbados took over from the British, when they became an independent country. However, the country still has Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. Barbados now is one of the most popular and most preferred tourist destinations of the Caribbean. Let’s take a look into this island nation through 12 random facts below.

The Barbados Flag

1. The name “Barbados’ was originally Los Barbados, Portuguese for “the bearded ones”, which is derived from the Bearded Fig Trees once found in abundance on the island. From afar, the trees looked like they had beards, and the country was thus named by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Campos.

2. There are about 270,000 people that live in Barbados.  It’s located in the Lesser Antilles, with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the west, Saint Lucia to the northwest, and Grenada to the southwest.

3. The largest city or town is Bridgetown with about 100,000 people, followed by Speightston, Oistins, Bathsheba, and Holetown.

4. The capital city is Bridgetown. Both Bridgetown and its Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5. “Pride and Industry” is the Motto of Barbados

6. Barbados is one of the more populous and prosperous Caribbean islands. It is also a famous tourist       destination and plays host to about 500,000 visitors every year.

7.The national flower is the Pride of Barbados or Caesalpinia Pulcherrima which grows all over the island and can be seen in yellow, orange, or red. The leaves of ‘the Pride of Barbados’ are given to crying babies. The leaf is supposed to help make a baby stop crying. It is dipped in breast milk and then given to the crying child.

8.The country is also home to a large Mongoose population.  Originally imported from India to take care of the rats in the sugar cane fields.  Instead they ate the snakes, which was the original predator of the rats. And surprisingly, it is considered good luck if a mongoose crosses your path.

9. Barbados now is the most developed island country in the Caribbean. This scenic island also enjoys the distinction of being the third most developed country in the Western hemisphere, after the United States of America and Canada.

 10. Barbados can be known as the “the land of the flying fish”, with flying fish being a common sight around the island.