Lovely Barbados Turns 50
November 30, 2016
Fifty years ago today, on Nov. 30, 1966, Barbados—an island country at the far eastern end of the Caribbean Sea—gained independence from the United Kingdom. Renowned for its beauty, Barbados is a successful independent nation with a strong economy and vibrant culture. Events celebrating the nation’s independence have taken place throughout 2016, culminating with the unveiling of a 50th anniversary monument today, along with a dazzling parade and a “Golden Anniversary Spectacular Mega Concert.”
The beaches of Barbados, as seen here, have helped make the lovely island a desirable tourist destination. The Caribbean nation celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence on Nov. 30, 2016. Credit: © Filip Fuxa, Shutterstock
Located about 250 miles (400 kilometers) northeast of Venezuela, Barbados is a small, pork chop-shaped island covering just 166 square miles (430 square kilometers). But, with nearly 300,000 people on the island, it is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. In many ways, life in Barbados resembles life in the United Kingdom. Traffic moves on the left, cricket is the most popular sport, and the harbor police in Bridgetown, the capital, wear colonial-style uniforms that date from the late 1700′s. The people of Barbados speak English. About 90 percent of the country’s people are descendants of enslaved West Africans brought to Barbados between 1636 and 1833.
The flag of Barbados has three wide, vertical stripes. The two outer stripes are blue (for the sea and sky) and the center stripe is orange (for the sand of the beaches). A black trident head with a broken shaft is in the center. It stands for Neptune, the sea god, and for the change from dependence to independence. Credit: © Dream Maker Software
Arawak and Carib Indians lived on Barbados before Europeans first arrived and mapped the island in the early 1500’s. The English reached Barbados in 1625 and soon established a prosperous colony. Many English families settled there in the 1700′s and 1800′s. In the 1900’s, many Caribbean Islands became independent or gained more control over their own affairs, including Barbados. In the early 1960’s, Barbados and several other Caribbean Islands tried to form a federation, but they could not agree on a constitution. Barbados then decided to go it alone, gaining independence from the United Kingdom on Nov. 30, 1966.
Since then, Barbados has joined the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, the United Nations, and the Caribbean Free Trade Association (now called the Caribbean Community). Barbados’s pleasant climate and sandy beaches have made it a popular vacation resort, and tourism is a major industry.
Barbados gets its name from either the Portuguese or Spanish word barbados, meaning bearded ones. It is unclear whether this refers to the hanging roots of the bearded fig tree native to the island, or to the island’s supposedly bearded Carib inhabitants. Famous Barbadians of today include pop singer Rihanna, hip-hop star Grandmaster Flash, writer Kamau Brathwaite, and the legendary cricketer and “national hero” Garry Sobers.
