| About Barbados
(bärba´doz) , island state (2005 est. pop. 270,000), 166 sq mi (430 sq km), in the West Indies. The capital and largest city is Bridgetown .
Land
The island, East of St. Vincent, in the Windward Islands, is the easternmost of the Caribbean  islands. It is low and rises gradually toward its highest point at Mt. Hillaby (1,104 ft/336 m). Although there is ample rainfall from June to December, there are no large rivers, and water must be pumped from subterranean caverns. More than three quarters of the population is of African descent, and about 15% are of mixed African and European descent. English-speaking, most Barbadians are Protestant.
History
Barbados has always had a fascinating history but there can be little doubt that significantly more people today are interested in, and knowledgeable about, this intriguing country's colourful past than would have been the case twenty five years ago. The hunger of a maturing independent nation to learn more about itself, combined with the evolution of heritage tourism and a greater supply of easily accessible information, have unearhed a plethora of remarkable facts and stories about Barbados. In turn, this upsurge in historical fascination has instigated the opening of an ever growing number of museums, galleries and heritage sites. In essence, Barbados' rich history has created a solid platform for a healthy furture.
The first peolple to call Barbados home were the Amerindians, who reached the island around 1623 BC. They arrived in Barbados by open canoe from the Orinoco are of South America, know today as Venezuela. During the next 3,000 years, several tribes inhabited Barbados at varying intervals, including the Caribs (Kalinago) and the Arawaks. The Arawaks lived mainly on the coast, in areas like Bridgetown, Heywoods and Chancery Lane, where archaeological digs have unearthed evidence of their existence.
The name Caribbean was derived from the name carib. The hammock, barbecue and canoe are elements of the Arawak way of lfge that we have retained.They are Amerinidian words, as is 'huracan', a less welcome feature of Caribbean life.
Being the most easterly of the Caribbean islands, Barbados has for centuries been the potential first landfall for sailors venturing westward from Africa and Europe. And so it proved to be for Spanish and Portuguese adventurers who rode the winds of the prevailing North east Trades in the 1500's.
Thes Portuguese adventurers named the island "Los Barbadoes" after the roots of the Bearded Fig Tree. The island was still inhabited by some Amerindians at this time.
No Europeans settled Barbados until an English sea captain by the name of Henry Powell chanced upon the island due to a navigational error. He landed at the site of present day Holetown and claimed the island for the Crown of England. In 1627 Captain Powell returned with 80 English settlers and a number of slaves captured en-route from a trading vessel.
These early pioneers set about the task of clearing the densley wooded land and planting tropical crops such as cotton, tobacco, yams and cassava.Difficulties encountered during the early years of settlement motivated the settlers to choose an alternatice vrop, and in sugar cane they found a commodity that both flourished in Barbados and was in high demand in Europe.
The sugar industry boomed and, in order to supplement the inadequate work force of white British indentured servants, the planters brought in black slaves from Africa. This unpaid workforce combined with excellent growing conditions for sugar cane in Barbados and market conditions prevailing at the time, combined to provide the plantation owners with vast profits.
Economy
The porous soil and moderate warmth are excellent for the cultivation of sugarcane, which was historically the island's main occupation. Today, sugar and molasses remain important products and are the country's largest exports. The healthful and equable climate makes it a very popular tourist resort and tourism is the country's largest industry. Manufacturing (largely chemicals, electrical components, clothing, rum, and machinery) and banking are growing sectors of the economy.
Investing in Barbados.
Barbados has become internationally recognized over the past ten years as a safe investment haven. It's International Business Sector is now the second highest contributor to foreign exchange earnings after Tourism. It is internationally recognized as a thriving, well-run and fiscally transparent domicile (Francoise L.M. Hendy, Director of International Business, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development)
According to Mr. Bruce Zagaris, Partner, Berliner Cocoran & Rowe LLP, Washington, D.C., USA, " By continuing to develop and extnd its network, Barbados is ensuring continued dynamism in its financial sector. Over the past two years (2006 - 2008), new tax and investment treaties have propelled the growth of Barbados' international financial services sector. The Governement of Barbados has devoted increased resources to the sector and has worked to refine and improve its regulaory environment."
The Barbados Government has negotiated and concluded double taxation treaties with several Governments. The existence of such double taxation treaties places Barbados at a distinct advantage over other popular offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands. (Maria Robinson, Tax Partner, Ernst & Young Caribbean)
Overall, Barbados enjoys an ebviable international business reputation while continuing to meet or exceed all guidelines set by international bodies such as FATF, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and the International Monetary Fund (Richard E. Ince, CIP CRM, Principal, Iliad Management Consultancy Inc, Toronto, Canada)
Barbados has attracted many Canadian business investments, particularly in the Off Shore Sector, over the past ten years or so. Professor Walid Hejazi of the International Business School of management University of Toronto, has said of Barbados: " Canadian businesses have used Barbados extensively as a conduit into the global economy. Canadians are better able to compete globally as a result of the reduction in the cost of capital associated with the use of Barbados as an international financial centre"
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