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When asking a person their idea of a tropical paradise, nine times out of ten one of the responses will be Barbados. The tiny island sits on the Easternmost point of all the Caribbean islands, with the Atlantic lapping at the East coast and the Caribbean Sea washing up on the West. An island formed from a large coral reef, Barbados is a relatively flat country, the highest point of which reaches 336m at Mount Hillaby. The ex-British colony retains a strong feel of ‘Britishness’ about it, yet still maintains a very strong national identity – everywhere on the island has a solid Bajan feel and it is this, coupled with the paradise setting, that keeps the legions of tourists flocking back for more. The original inhabitants of Barbados were the Arawak Indians, who were driven off around 1200AD by invading Venezuelan Carab Indians – though they soon enough abandoned the isle. Next to stop off were the Portuguese, with explorer Pedro a Campos providing the island it’s name, Los Barbados, meaning ‘the bearded ones.’ It wasn’t until 1625 that the English arrived, and as they did back in those days stuck a flag in the ground and claimed it as theirs, establishing the first settlement in Jamestown (now Holetown) by 1627. Whilst all the European powers were fighting over every other Caribbean island, Barbados sat just out of the way and always out of the fight. The mid-17th century saw English sugar plantation owners importing large numbers of African slaves to work on the farms, which meant that by the time emancipation came about, the majority of the populace on the island were of black African descent – this didn’t change the fact, however, that most of the valuable land in the country was in the possession of the wealthy white minority, and living conditions for the black populace remained poor. The economic depression of the 1930s saw rioting break out, as people simply had too much of poor living and unemployment – this action caused the British Colonial Welfare and Development Office to be set up, and Barbados was given a great deal of aid to help improve infrastructure, standards of living and to help create jobs, and black citizens were finally given roles in political processes – this eventually lead to the first black prime minister, Grantley Adams. Barbados joined the West Indies Federation in 1958, gained political autonomy from the British in 1961 and by 1966 had achieved full independence. The decades that followed saw peace, stability and prosperity as the once-dominant sugar cane trade fell by the wayside and tourism became the big earner for the country. Barbados now finds itself a tropical haven, away from trouble, stable and free – a true paradise. Barbados is simply a wonderful place and is the epitome of paradise – that word may get overused when talking about the island, but it’s true. A stable political system, a strong economy, exquisite natural beauty, friendly people, good food and fine rum – paradise! The standards of healthcare in Barbados are excellent, and a reciprocal agreement with the UK means treatment is free to British nationals on production of a valid passport or NHS card. Visitors from other countries are recommended to purchase insurance to cover potential costs.Mobile phone coverage is strong across the country. Landlines are widely available and lines are of a good standard. Internet cafes are available through the island
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