Barbados
Flag Coat of arms Motto: "Pride and Industry" Anthem: In Plenty and In Time of Need
Capital (and largest city) Bridgetown 13°10′N, 59°32′W Official languages English Recognised regional languages Barbadian Dialect Ethnic groups  90% Afro-Caribbean, 4% European, 6% Asian and Multiracial Demonym Barbadian (Official) Bajan (Slang) Government Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Elizabeth II  -  Governor-General Clifford Husbands  -  Prime Minister David Thompson Independence From the United Kingdom   -  Date 30 November 1966  Area  -  Total 431 km² (199th) 167 sq mi   -  Water (%) negligible	Population  -  July 2006 estimate 279,000 (174th) GDP (PPP) 2006 estimate  -  Total $4.9 billion (149th)  -  Per capita $17,610 (39th) HDI (2007) ▲ 0.892 (high) (31st) Currency Barbadian dollar ($) (BBD) Time zone (UTC-4) Internet TLD .bb Calling code +1 (246)

Barbados (Portuguese word for bearded-ones, pronounced /bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz, -dɒs/[1]), situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent island nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. At roughly 13° North of the equator and 59° West of the prime meridian, the country lies in the southern Caribbean region, where it is considered a part of the Lesser Antilles. Its closest island neighbours are Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Saint Lucia to the west. To the south lies Trinidad and Tobago—with which Barbados now shares a fixed official maritime boundary—and also the South American mainland. Barbados's total land area is about 430 square kilometres (166 square miles), and is primarily low-lying, with some higher regions in the country's interior. The highest point in Barbados is Mount Hillaby in the parish of Saint Andrew. The geological composition of Barbados is thought to be of non-volcanic origin and is predominantly composed of limestone-coral formed by subduction of the South American plate colliding with the Caribbean plate. The island's climate is tropical, with constant trade winds off the Atlantic Ocean serving to keep temperatures mild. Some less developed areas of the country contain tropical woodland and mangroves. Other parts of the interior which contribute to the agriculture industry are dotted with large sugarcane estates and wide, gently sloping pastures, with panoramic views down to the coast.

Barbados's human development index ranking is consistently among the top 50 in the world. For example, in 2006, it was ranked 31st in the world, and third in the Americas, behind Canada and the United States.