Barbados Country & Tourist Information

Location
Caribbean, Windward Islands.

Area
430 sq km (166 sq miles).

Population
279,000 (2006).

Population Density
648.8 per sq km.

Capital
Bridgetown.
Population: 98,900 (2003).

Government
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1966.

Language
The official language is English. Local Bajan dialect is also spoken.

Religion
Mainly Christian, with an Anglican majority, Roman Catholic minority, plus small Jewish, Hindu and Muslim communities.

Time
GMT -4.

Electricity
110-115 volts AC, 50Hz. American-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Owen Seymour Arthur since 1994.

Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Sir Clifford Husband since 1996.

Telephone
Country code: 1 246. Cardphones and payphones are available throughout the island, although it may be better to use cardphones for overseas calls. Local calls are free when calling from a residence.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet
There are Internet cafes throughout Barbados. Wi-Fi is increasingly available, especially in hotels.

Media
Freedom of expression is a way of Barbadian life. All newspapers are privately owned, and there is a healthy mix of private and public radio stations. The island’s sole television station presents a wide range of political views even though it is run by the government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation.


Post
Post offices and boxes are found across the island, including at the airport.

Post office hours: variable, but as a general guide Mon-Fri 0800-1700 at Bridgetown main office; other branches Mon 0730-1200 and 1300-1500, Tues-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1515.

Press
• The main dailies are The Barbados Advocate and The Nation.
• Other publications include Caribbean Week (fortnightly), Weekend Investigator (weekly) and the Broad Street Journal, a business journal.
• Foreign newspapers are also available.

Radio
• Government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates CBC Radio 900 AM, Liberty 98.1 FM and Quality 100.7 FM.
• Barbados Broadcasting Service operates commercial station BBS FM, and religious station Faith 102 FM.
• HOTT 95.3 FM is a commercial station run by Starcom Network.
• Starcom Network also operates commercial station Voice of Barbados, LOVE 104.1 FM and Gospel 790 AM.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
21 Jan Errol Barrow Day.
6 Apr Good Friday.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
28 Apr National Heroes’ Day.
1 May Labor Day.
28 May Whit Monday.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
6 Aug Kadooment Day. 
30 Nov Independence Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
21 Jan Errol Barrow Day.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
28 Apr National Heroes’ Day.
1 May Labor Day.
12 May Whit Monday.
1 Aug Emancipation Day.
4 Aug Kadooment Day. 
30 Nov Independence Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Note
Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following day is taken as a holiday.

Contact Information:

Barbados High Commission in the UK
1 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3ND, UK
Tel: (020) 7631 4975.
Website: www.foreign.gov.bb
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1700 (general enquiries); 1000-1600 (visa section).

Barbados Tourism Authority in the UK
263 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7LA, UK
Tel: (020) 7636 9448.
Website: www.visitbarbados.co.uk

Embassy of Barbados in the USA
2144 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 939 9200.
Website: www.barbados.org

Barbados Tourism Authority in the USA
800 Second Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 986 6516 or 1 800 221 9831.
Website: www.barbados.org

Caribbean Tourism Organization in the UK
22 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, UK
Tel: (020) 8948 0057.
Website: www.doitcaribbean.com


Next Page »

Related Barbados Content