Facts about Barbados.

1. Barbados owes its name to the Portuguese word “barbados”, meaning “bearded”. The navigator who discovered the island thought that the parasitic plants which saw the local trees were very similar to the bushy beards.2. The stress in the word “Barbados” is on the second syllable.3. The area of Barbados is about 430 square kilometers. Just under three hundred thousand people live in this area.
4. The first human settlements in Barbados date from about the middle of the 4th century AD.
5. From the early 17th century until independence in the mid-20th century Barbados was part of the British Overseas Territories.
6. Nominally the head of the country is the Queen of England, but de facto on her behalf the country is governed by a governor.
7. The highest point of Barbados is 336 meters above sea level.
8. Barbados has one international airport.
9. The national currency on the island is the Barbados dollar.
10. 10. The official language in Barbados is English, or more precisely, its local dialect called “Bajan”.
11. One fifth of the entire budget of Barbados is spent on education.
12. In the list of developing countries, Barbados is the fourth fastest growing country in the world.
13. The most popular sport in Barbados is cricket.
14. The Barbados Army participated in both World War I and World War II.
15. At present the land forces of Barbados have about five hundred men.
16. Barbados is the only island in the Caribbean Sea with monkeys, once brought here from other countries.
17. The fruit of the grapefruit originated in Barbados.
18. Barbados’ waters are home to a huge number of flying fish.
19. 19. The vast majority of stores in Barbados close at 16-18 hours.