| Barbados is the eastern-most Caribbean island. It is located at 13.4N, 54.4W. The island, which is less that one million years old, was created by the collision of the Atlantic crustal and Caribbean plates, along with a volcanic eruption. Later coral formed, accumulating to approximately 300 feet. It is geologically unique, being actually two land masses that merged together over the years.
Archaeological evidence indicates that prior to 1625 the island had been inhabited by the Arawaks and Caribs but there was apparently no sign of them when the English arrived. However, later research has indicated that Caribs from neighbouring islands settled in small colonies in St. Phillip and St. Lucy. The early settlers, in order to survive, needed a cash crop and they selected tobacco, with cotton in second place. Poor economic returns convinced them that they had to find an alternative and this time sugar cane was selected.
Barbados as the most easterly island in the Caribbean chain of Islands, stretching from Florida on the North American mainland to the Guianas on the northern mainland of South America, stands in splendid isolation at Latitude 13° North and Longitude 59° 37W. With 23 kilometres (14 miles) at its widest point and 34 kilometers (21 miles) long, it is a mere 416 square kilometres (166 square miles).
Most of the island is made up of soft marine deposits of coral limestone. This limestone cover gives way in the north-eastern part of the island to a terrain of clays and sandstones comprising the Scotland marine sedimentary formation. This area runs through the parishes of St. Joseph, St. John and St. Andrew and embraces about one-sixth of the island.
Since independence, Barbados has been politically stable. However, local anger over rulings by the final appeals court, appointed by Queen Elizabeth, led to the creation in 1997 of a constitutional commission to consider abandoning all ties to Great Britain. In May 2003, Prime Minister Arthur won a third term.
Barbados has been described as flat and low lying, but in fact, it rises from west to east in a series of gentle terraces to its highest point of about 1100ft at Mount Hillaby in St. Andrew. The terrain dips in St. George to form the St. George Valley, separating the main limestone terraces from a lower limestone ridge in the Christ Church area.
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 in February and March.
At the end of 2000 residential population stood at 267,900 with birth rate per thousand being 14.0 and population growth rate 0.2.
As a result of its long-standing association with England, Barbados is mainly Anglican. The Moravian and Methodist Churches were added to the list of denominations of the 18th century. Since then these have been followed by Roman Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, The Salvation Army and many other small religious groups.
There are small groups of Hindus and Muslims, as well as a small Jewish community. These groups all have complete religious freedom.
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