Little is known of the early history of Barbados: it was occupied by Arawak Indians from South America as early as 1600BC before they were wiped out by cannabilistic Carib Indians around 1200AD. This warfaring tribe was then decimated with the arrival of the Spanish in the 1400s. While the Spanish, and later the Portuguese, christened the island Los Barbodoes (the bearded ones, after the island’s fig trees), it was the British who claimed the island in 1625.
By 1663, Barbados was declared a British colony. Slaves were brought to the island from Africa to work on the sugar plantations, which rapidly underpinned the entire country’s economy. Barbados dominated the industry until 1720.
Slavery was then abolished in 1834 but many freed Bajans returned to work as paid labourers for the former employers. During the early 1900s, the establishement of trade unions intended to give workers more rights. The Great Depression of the 1930s led to soaring unemployment, riots and British financial aid.
Gradually, Bajans started to demand their own political rights, leading to the election of Errol Walton Barrow as the island’s first Prime Minister in 1962 who led Barbados to independence four years later.
Over the last 50 years, successive governments have tried to help diversify the economy and propel development. The country’s sugar industry has declined and the focus on agriculture has declined and tourism drives the economy which has dipped as a result of the recession in 2009/10. In addition, offshore banking and services has grown.
In the latest election in 2008, David Thompson of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) assumed office as Prime Minister from the Barbados Labour Party who had been in power for 14 years. Thompson has pledged to focus on domestic issues, particularly the cost of living, healthcare, and crime.
Over 100 religious groups practise island-wide, from the Anglican majority to smaller Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, The Salvation Army, Muslim and Quaker faiths.
Social conventions:Many British societal attitudes permeate bureaucratic red tape and architecture, yet when it comes to time-keeping, humour and urgency the laid-back Barbados manner reigns supreme. Barefoot casual attire is de rigour except when dressing up-to-the nines for dinner - or church. As a former slave colony, personal freedom is highly valued.
The official language is English. Local Bajan dialect is also spoken.
