Barbados is an island situated in the

western area of the North Atlantic

with an estimated four hundred
thirty-one square kilometers. It was
first explored by the Spanish in the
fourteen hundreds followed by the
Portuguese in the fifteen hundreds.
Later in sixteen twenty four, an
English ship called the Olive Blossom
arrived and claimed possession of the
land under the reign of King James
the First. Three years later English
settlers arrived and it became a
British colony.

 The name of the island is said to come

from the Spanish expression "Los
Barbudos," meaning "the bearded ones."
There are many theories as to why it was
given this name, some of which include
the possible reference to the hanging roots
of the bearded fig-tree, the foam spraying
over the outlying reefs or more simply the
bearded indigenous inhabitants of the
island. There is a population of
approximately two hundred eighty-four
 thousand with more than forty per cent
living within the largest city and capital
Bridgetown or in its suburbs. Between
nineteen forty six and nineteen eighty over
thirty per cent of the population
immigrated to Britain. Barbados became
an independent state in nineteen sixty six,
retaining Queen Elizabeth the Second as
Head of State.
 Regarding the climate in
Barbados, it is said to have
two seasons. Wet season runs
from June to November and is
so-named for its higher level
of rainfall. From December to
May the island experiences
what they call dry season.
Average temperatures in dry
season range from twenty one
to thirty one degrees
centigrade while they range
from twenty three to thirty
one degrees centigrade in wet
season.
 It is not extremely
uncommon to experience
natural disasters in
Barbados like earthquakes,
landslips, and hurricanes.
The last significant hit from
a hurricane which caused
severe damage to Barbados
was Hurricane Janet in
nineteen fifty-five. The
seventeen eighty hurricane
killed over four thousand
people on the island.
 The official language of
Barbados is English and tends
to conform to the vocabulary,
pronunciation, spelling and
conventions akin to but not
exactly the same as those of
British English. Natives of
Barbados speak a variant of
 English they refer to as Bajan,
moreover in informal
situations. It is highly
influenced by other Caribbean
English dialects and is said to
be a fusion of British English
and elements borrowed from
the languages of West Africa.
 Famous people that come
from Barbados include
Grammy-winning
Rihanna, who was born
in Saint Michael in
nineteen eighty eight. In
two thousand nine she
was appointed as an
official Honorary
Ambassador of youth and
culture for Barbados by
the late Prime Minister,
David Thompson.