Barbados Facts
Barbados is the Pearl of the Caribbean and most easterly chain of Islands, stretching from Florida on the North American mainland to the Guiana’s on the northern mainland of South America, standing in splendid isolation at Latitude 13° North and Longitude 59° 37W. It is 23 kilometres (14 miles) at its widest point and 34 kilometres (21 miles) long, and 416 square kilometres (166 square miles).
Most of the island is made up of soft marine deposits of coral limestone. The island was uninhabited when the British landed in 1627, but there is plenty of action now. Barbados is a tropical paradise with rich beautiful sandy beaches, a hilly northern landscape, warm friendly intelligent people (Bajans) and great rum (Mount Gay).
Bridgetown, the capital city, teams with life making this a truly active population. There are great restaurants, trendy nightclubs and a rich cultural atmosphere, to enjoy. Bajans are among the most sophisticated and educated peoples in the West Indies, with one of the highest standards of living and literacy rates in the developing world and excellent health care facilities, according to the United Nations Development Programme.
Capital
Bridgetown in the Parish of St Michael
Language
English is the official language of Barbados.
Population
Estimate as of 2000, residential population was 267,900.
Temperature and Rainfall
Barbados enjoys a stable climate, the temperature rarely falls below 23°C or rises above 30°C. There is a definite “wet season” from July to November and a “dry season” with minimum rainfall recorded from February to March.
Roads
Barbados has an extensive road network, which covers the entire island. Traffic drives on the left and there is a speed limit of 60kmph (37mph) except where otherwise stated.
Health Care
Barbados has a high standard of health care which is easily accessible to all. The main Government hospital – the Queen Elizabeth Hospital – has 600 beds and offers specialized care in areas such as paediatrics, obstetrics, plastic surgery, radiology, etc. There are also 8 government Polyclinics providing free medical treatment for minor ailments, 5 Geriatric hospitals for care of the elderly, and a network of Child Care facilities.
Prescriptions
Visitors prescriptions may be filled at local pharmacies. However visitors should consult with a local physician first. A list of pharmacies and medical practitioners may be found in the Barbados Yellow pages.
Travel
Travelling to Barbados has become relatively easy, with direct flights offered by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada and American Airlines to name a few, Aprox 4 hours from North America and Aprox 8 hours from London UK.
Useful Information
Residency in Barbados If you are not a Barbadian citizen or resident, you can live in Barbados as long as you own property and can supply information indicating that your income will come from abroad.
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