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Barbados Facts & Worksheets

Barbados is an island country located in the West Indies about 13 degrees north of the equator and just outside of the Atlantic hurricane belt.

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Barbados is an island country located in the West Indies about 13 degrees north of the equator and just outside of the Atlantic hurricane belt. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown, and the country is home to nearly 300,000 people.

See the fact file below for more information on the Barbados or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Barbados worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY OF BARBADOS

  • The Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover the island. It was named “Os Barbados” by navigator Pedro A. Campos, and the name translates to “bearded ones”.
  • Although the Spanish raided the island frequently for slaves, the island was largely ignored in the 15th and 16th centuries.
  • English Captain John Powell arrived on May 14, 1625, and settled by February 17, 1627.
  • Sir William Courten funded and established the settlement as a proprietary colony, which was a type of English colony mostly in North America and the Caribbean during the 17th century).
  • Due to this arrangement, the first colonists on the island were tenants of Courten’s, and any profits they made were returned partially to Courten and his company.
  • By 1650, the West Indies had attracted around 44,000 settlers.
  • The economy in the 1600s was largely made up of family farms and the production of aloes, indigo, cotton, and tobacco.
  • When the elite in Barbados saw the potential for sugar to be harvested using oppressed laborers from West Africa, they jumped at the opportunity.
  • This, in part, created a three-class society – those who were free, those who were indentured, and those who were enslaved – with “race” being a strong determinant of status.
  • Between the 18th and 19th centuries, growing opposition to slavery led to its abolition in the British Empire in 1834, but not until after a series of planned slave rebellions, including Bussa’s Rebellion in 1816.
  • During the 20th century, many people were growing dissatisfied with the situation in Barbados, which led to the emigration of many people.
  • The Great Depression of the 1930s saw the legalization of trade unions and a series of reforms on the island.
  • By 1961, full internal self-government was enacted, with Barbados gaining full independence on November 30, 1966. The country opted to remain within the British Commonwealth.
  • Errol Barrow became the country’s first Prime Minister.

GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMY OF BARBADOS

  • Barbados is located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the other West Indies Islands. It lies on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean Plates, which has resulted in Barbados rising at a rate of about 1 inch every 1,000 years.
  • Barbados has a tropical monsoon climate, and it experiences a wet and dry season, the former occurring between June and December and the latter between December and May.
  • Barbados is home to four species of nesting turtles, the green monkey, hares, Doves, green Dolphins, kingfish, and other marine life.
  • Very little of the original vegetation remains on the Island. Some tropical trees, like poinciana, mahogany, and cabbage palm still grow.
  • Services, manufacturing, and agriculture are the most significant sectors in Barbados’ economy.
  • 75% of the land is arable, and most of it is planted with sugarcane.
  • Sea island cotton, tropical flowers, fishing, and food production (vegetables, fruit, and livestock) support the economy, as well.
  • Barbados has few natural resources. Its mining industry is limited to oil and natural gas production.
  • The nation’s top major import source is the United States.

CULTURE AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF BARBADOS

  • Along with Japan, Barbados has the highest per capita occurrences of centenarians (people who live to be over 100) in the world!
  • Close to 90% of all Barbadians are of Afro-Caribbean descent.
  • The remainder of the population is mainly from the U.K, the U.S, and Canada.
  • English is the official language, but an English-based creole language (referred to as Bajan) is also spoken.
  • Around 95% of Barbadians are Christian.
  • Barbados is a blend of West African, Portuguese, Creole, Indian, and British cultures. Their cooking is a mixture of these influences, as well, with a typical meal consisting of marinated meat or fish, hot side dishes, and salad, all served with one or more sauces.
  • The majority of cultural facilities are located in Bridgetown, including the Barbados Museum (established in 1933), the Art Gallery, the National Library Service, and other buildings.
  • Cultural traditions in Barbados include Crop Over, Grand Kadooment, and various music festivals.
  • The national sport in Barbados is cricket, and this nation contributes many players to the West Indies team.

Barbados Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Barbados across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Barbados worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Barbados which is an island country located in the West Indies about 13 degrees north of the equator and just outside of the Atlantic hurricane belt. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown, and the country is home to nearly 300,000 people.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Barbados Facts
  • The Sugar Revolution
  • Eastern Caribbean Map
  • Barbados Wordsearch
  • Bussa’s Rebellion
  • Traditional Barbados Cooking
  • Barbados Crossword
  • Important Historical Figures
  • Coat of Arms Analysis
  • Barbados Acrostic
  • Design a Stamp

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Link will appear as Barbados Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 13, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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