Barbados

Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of North America. It is 34 kilometres in length and up to 23 kilometres in width, covering an area of 431 square kilometres. It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea. Barbados is east of the other West Indian islands of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, and north of Venezuela. The national flag of Barbados is a triband of two bands of ultramarine, separated by a golden middle band, which bears the country's coat of arms in the centre. The coat of arms features a shipwreck on a reef, with a motto which reads "Pride and Industry". The economy of Barbados is mainly based on tourism and agriculture. The island is also a popular offshore financial centre. Barbados is one of the developing countries which are a part of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). The Barbadian people are friendly and welcoming, and the island has a rich culture based on its British colonial history. Barbados is an attractive tourist destination, with its sandy beaches, sunny weather and luxury resorts. The island is also known for its rum and cricket. Barbados is a sovereign island country and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is also a full and equal member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Barbados is one of the most developed countries in the Caribbean, and is ranked as an upper-middle income country by the World Bank.