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Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and
the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland
region
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 37%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters
from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste
disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island
Geography
Barbados is the most eastern island in the Caribbean island chain.
This pear-shaped island has a high density rate for its population
of around 260,000 in an area of only 430 square kilometres. It is
one of the few coral-capped islands in the region. Although it is
relatively flat compared to its volcanic neighbors, its mixture
of bustling towns and gentle, laid-back countryside surroundings
well make up for it.
Climate
The average annual temperature is about 26º C. The tropical
climate is suitable for sun-lovers and watersports enthusiasts as
it is not unbearably hot although it is bright and sunny. A hurricane
may strike the island anytime between June and October.
Barbados is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. It is the most
easterly of all the West Indian territories.
It lies 70 kilometres east of St. Vincent, its closest neighbour,
and 430 kilometres northwest of Venezuela.
Its capital, Bridgetown, a city of 5,000 people and the island's
only seaport, is located on the southwestern section
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in
1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and
molasses production through most of the 20th century.
In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry
in economic importance.
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