Barbados – Country’s Geographical Notes

Barbados is inflict nation in the Caribbean, is determine about 100 miles (160 kilometres) east of the Windward Islands. Roughly triangular in shape, it measures 21 miles from northwest to southeast and about 14 miles from east to west, with a add atomic number 18a of 166 squ be miles (430 squ be kilometres). Its capital is Bridgetown, the only enduren.Barbados is not part of the Lesser Antilles, although it is sometimes grouped with this archipelago. The island is of different geologic composition it is less mountainous and has less variety in plant and fauna life. The geographic position of Barbados has profoundly influenced the islands history, purification, and aspects of its economic life. In the era of oceanfaring ships, access to the island was difficult because of the prevailing winds from the northeast. Outward-bound ships from atomic number 63 had to gain the island spell heading west, for it was difficult for them to turn and reach its shores by sailing eastward a gainst the wind.The island rebrinyed a British possession without interruption from its settlement in the seventeenth atomic number 6 to 1966, when it attained independence. As the first Caribbean landfall from Europe, Barbados has functioned since the late 17th century as a major link between western Europe (mainly Britain), eastern Caribbean territories, and parts of the reciprocal ohm Ameri bear mainland. Because of its long association with Britain, the culture of Barbados is probably more(prenominal) British than that of any an other(prenominal) Caribbean island. Since independence, however, cultural nationalism and regional aw arness excite tended to increase.The climate is generally pleasant. The temperature does not normally rise above 86 F (30 C) or fall at a lower place 72 F (22 C). There atomic number 18 two seasons the dry season, from early(a) December to may, and the wet season, which lasts for the rest of the year. Average rainfall is about 60 inches (1,525 millimeters) a year, further, despite the slight size of the island, rainfall varies, rising from the sea-level coastal areas to the high central district. Barbados lies in the southern border of the Carribean hurricane zone, and hurricanes have caused great de Brobdingnagianation.Barbados is densely populated. More than one-third of the population is concentrated in Bridgetown and the surrounding area. closely of the farmland is owned by with child(p) landowners or corporations. As a result, tenantries are as common as villages. Tenantries are clusters of wooden houseslocally k flatn as chattel houses fixed on the borders of the large estates they are usually owned by the occupants but stand on rented ground from which they may easily be removed. Most of them have electricity and running water. The largest town is Bridgetown. In its commercial and administrative centre, multistorey twists are altering the features of the 19th-century town. Apart from Bridgetown, Oistins, Holet own, and Speightstown are the largest towns.The population of Barbados was 257 082 in 1990. the fair population density was 572 persons per sq. km (1482 per sq. mile) was notably high considering the preponderantly rural agricultural character growth of population during 1970s and eighties was kept below 1% by out-migration. The capital, largest city and only seaport is Bridgetown with a population of 6720 in 1990.About 90% of the total population black the remaining portion is composed of whites and persons of mixed racial descent.English is the bump official language. More than 50% of the pile are Anglicans other important faiths include various protestant sects and Roman Catholic. Education is rationalise to children between ages of 5 to 16yrs.Barbados has a small, market-oriented, developing economy. Services, manufacturing, and agriculture are the main productive sectors. Although Barbados had a relatively high per capita growth rate in the 1980s, unemployment, especially a mong the youth and women, has been a serious problem. Most of the employment is in services and distributive trades, the greater part of which has been unionized.The economy of Barbados has traditionally been restricted on the growing of peagcane and the production of export of refined sugar, molasses and rum. sugarcane is grown principally on large estates rather than on the small farms.The annual harvest is in the early 1990s totalled about 600000 mensural tons. Local industries manufacturing clothing, furniture, electrical and electronic equipment and plastic items. Newly discovered militia of petroleum and natural gas are being exploited.Fishing has in addition increased the importance. Tourists facilities have earned more foreign revenue than sugar products.The table below shows the origin of tourists to Barbados, the number of tourists visiting Barbados and the average gross national product of tourists visiting Barbados ($US).The table below is refers to the principal w hy do fewer tourists travel shorter distances to Barbados from West Indies and South the States?COUNTRYNO. OF TOURISTS TO BARBADOSaverage GNO OF TOURISTS IN $USCANADA6560017936SOUTH AMERICA35003087USA17080016664UK10120011903WEST europium3370013333WEST INDIES643002798Climate Figures For LondonTheAdvantages AndDisadvantages Of TourismTo BarbadosBarbados has many white arenaceous rimes and the beautiful sun, which often attracts holidaymakers. But the holidaymakers analogouswise bring many disadvantages to the unsophisticated. The advantages and disadvantages are listed below in two categories.ADVANTAGES* When holidaymakers arrive the democracy often ask employees to work in toothsomeels. E.G. waiters/waitresses, flashyers, occlude attendants etc.* The country employs 15000 people.* Holidaymakers create other jobs such as in garages, factories, taxi drivers etc.* Tourism has back up the development of facilities which benefit the whole community.a) a deep water havenb) an ai rport terminalc) a better road networkd) an avail in water supply, sewage, disposal, electricity.* Fisherman benefit as there is more fish ingested to please tourist so the fisherman develop more money.DISADVANTAGES* Jobs have to shed labour at slack periods (Sep / Oct and May / June).* Cost was expensive to establish because of the need to import foreign make goods such as vehicles and furniture.* Cost loses income for the country becausea) food and manufactured goods gloss over have to be imported,b) many gamyels are foreign owned. The government is now trying to rectify by building hotels itself and encouraging local people tourists apartments.* Tourism has an effect upon agriculture by depressing it by wearying it of workers.* The country loses money due to having the need to import goods such as Beef from New Zealand and Los Angeles.* Economy is dependent upon conditions elsewhere- recession in conjugation America and Europe caused tourist numbers to fall by 5% in 1981 .* Low moral standards in the tourists can have a bad effect on communities such as alcohol tread and prostitution.* Tourist industries have affected land beach and sea resources. It is as well as responsible for increase in pollution on both land and sea.IS TOURISM HELPING BARBADOS?Its very difficult unbelief to answer whether touristry is helping Barbados or not. So to answer this question I had shared out it into two categories Positive and Negative. later on considering all the points it allow for be easier to find out whether touristry is helping Barbados or not.Positive* because tourism brings money to island like Barbados through accommodation paid for by tourists, souvenirs sold to tourists e.g. clothes, steel drums, coral jewellery, tours organized by countrys community as they drive them slightly by giving toured rides etc.* because tourism supplies jobs for the countrys community e.g. in hotels as bar attendants, waiters/waitresses, cleaners etc., taxi drivers, fishermen/women etc.* because tourism stimulates the countrys market, even providing new markets.* because tourism has provided a better communication between races and cultures.* because tourism has provided the country with teeming money to produce an airport, maintain better road links and conditions, and an improvement in water supply, sewage disposal and electricity.Negative* because tourism has also broken up communities by transport so many tourists into the country that the communities are being denied access to the facilities provided.* because tourism has caused a loss in money by tourists expecting foreign manufactured goods e.g. food, furniture, vehicles etc instead of buying infixed products.* because tourism has caused a westernizing effect on culture and social standards, which can cause differences and may even cause the community to forget its understate history.* because tourism has caused the environment to change by making buildings around the beach and buil dings which do not fit in with the countrys environment.* because the agriculture workers have left(p) the fields to work in hotels close to the tourists so there are not many people to work in the fields anymore.After considering this subject, I conclude that tourism has both positive and negative make on Barbados.If tourism is not controlled, in future it will not have good effect on the country as the country will be changed i.e. there will not be clean beaches with beautiful white sand and crystal clear jet sea water, beautiful palm trees or the green environment etc. this will changed by the community changing their environment to please the tourists by building more hotels and forgetting their culture.If you think carefully then you will realize that tourists are going to Barbados for its culture, its beautiful white sand and crystal green water, its green environment and of course the sun.On consideration, tourism can have benefits for Barbados- bringing employment, income and improved facilities. On the other hand it can bring pollution, death of the environment in order to build facilities, and can have a detrimental effect on the culture and community life.WHY DO FEWER TOURISTS TRAVEL SHORTER DISTANCES?In answering this question I have referred to table 1 on the previous page.The question asked is why fewer tourists travels shorter distances to Barbados from South America and West Indies? My opinion on the question asked by many people is that gross national product in both places is low and the vast majority cannot afford to travel abroad.If the country does not have a very high GNP they will not have some(prenominal) disposable income after all the main expenses are paid off e.g. mortgage, taxes bills, National Insurance (N.I), pensions, and road tax ( if car is involved).South Americas GNP is 3087.West Indies GNP is 2798 (the figures stated are calculated in $US).If you liken the GNP of countries like USA and the UK to that of the GNP of th e countries like the West Indies and the South America you will notice that people in the USA and in the UK have much more disposable income.USAs GNP is 16664.UKs GNP is 11903 (the figures stated are calculated in $US).Another conclude for answering this question is that in the West Indies and in South America the annual average climate is generally the same so the residents will not need to travel to find the sun and fine abide.WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE TRAVEL TO BARBADOS FROM NORTH AMERICA & EUROPE?The question asked is why do so many people travel to Barbados from coupling America and Europe.My suggested opinion is firstly because in countries in North America and Europe usually have a higher GNP marrow after all the main expenses are paid off (stated in the question why do fewer tourists travel shorter distances to Barbados?)they end up with enough disposable income to spend on the trips to places like Barbados.Another reason is that in places like Europe and North America the c limate is alike hot but there is either too little hot weather or the climate is not hot enough. There are not that many beautiful beaches like in Barbados.WHY DO TOURISTS FROM NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE TURN UP IN BARBADOS AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR?My suggested answer for this question is because of hot climate. At certain times in the year the sun is out and the weather is basically hot, hot and hot with a lot of sun. The months when the climate is hot and sunny is at the end of December to beginning of June. The remaining months are mainly rainy months so you wouldnt actually find many tourists around in Barbados.