Key facts
Date of Membership in CARICOM: 1 Aug 1973
Also Known as:Land Of The Flying Fish
Status of Independence:Independent November 30th 1966
Area: 431 km2 (166.4 miles2)
Capital City: Bridgetown
Population: 285,000 (2013)
Currency: Barbados Dollar Bds$
Highest National Award: Knight or Dame of St. Andrew
Economy
GDP Growth: 0.9% p.a. 1990–2013
GNI: US$4.2bn
GNI PC: US$15,172
Key dates in history
SOME KEY DATES IN HISTORY
1536 Sighted by Portuguese explorer, Pedro a Campos. Island named `Os Barbados’ after bearded fig trees which grew on beaches
1627 Occupied by British settlers
1639 House of Assembly founded
1958 Joined West Indies Federation
1965 CARIFTA Agreement signed at Dickenson Bay, Antigua. Barbados among the first signatories
1966 Independence achieved. Errol Barrow, first Prime Minister
2021 Republic Status