Barbados

Drawing on its English, African and West Indian roots, Barbados has established its own distinctive identity, evidenced in its customs, traditions and values, and passionately expressed through the rich history, exceptional cuisine and artistic talents of its people.

The Barbadian capital city of Bridgetown was originally named "Indian Bridge" for the crude bridge that was constructed over the river by early Indian settlers. Sometime after 1654, a new bridge was constructed and the name Bridgetown was born.

Barbados is 166 square miles, divided into 11 parishes.

With over 3,000 hours of sunshine yearly, the weather is almost always sunny and warm, cooled by the constant northeast trade winds. The average daytime temperature ranges between 84-88 degrees Fahrenheit (29-31 degrees Celsius). Summer temperatures rarely exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).