Human Geography of Barbados: Population, Cities, Economy & Culture

Barbados (430 km², 34×23 km) is the easternmost Caribbean island, 160 km east of St. Vincent.

Demographics (2023 est.)

• Population: ~288,000
• Ethnicity: 92% African descent, 3% European, 3% mixed, 1% Indian, <1% other.
• Language: English (official); Bajan Creole widely spoken.
• Religion: 75% Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal), 4% Roman Catholic, 3% other Christian, 2% other/none.

Major Settlements

• Bridgetown (capital, UNESCO site, ~110,000 metro) — SW coast.
• Speightstown (NW, historic port).
• Holetown (W, first settlement 1627).
• Oistins (S, fishing/tourism).

Economy

• Tourism: 40%+ GDP, largest employer (luxury, cruise, villas).
• Financial services: Offshore, insurance, fintech.
• Light manufacturing: Rum, electronics, textiles.
• Agriculture: Sugarcane (declining), vegetables, cotton.

Governance

Parliamentary democracy (Westminster model). Independent since 1966. Republic since 2021 (President replaced Queen). High HDI (0.809).