Where is Barbados Located?

When people think of the island of Barbados, they most wrongly identify it as being in the Caribbean Sea. However, contrary to popular belief, this island nation is actually geographically located in the western Atlantic Ocean, at around 13 degrees north of the equator and 59 degrees west of the Greenwich meridian.

Barbados lies to the east of the main island group known as the Lesser Antilles, which includes St. Lucia, Martinique and St. Vincent. To the south of Barbados lies the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and the South American mainland. The island covers an area of over 167 square miles and is home to over two hundred and eighty four thousand people. These are mainly indigenous Afro-Bajan inhabitants, the largest ethnic group living on the island. This population swells considerably throughout the year, due to the inevitable and constant influx of international tourists.

Due to the island’s enviable geographical position, Barbados enjoys a moderate tropical climate. The constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean serve to keep the temperatures mild in comparison to the islands situated further to the west. The island’s annual precipitation varies from around 40 to 90 inches, the majority of which falls within the wet season, between June and November. The island’s geographic position to the extreme east of the main island group ensures that Barbados escapes the worst effects of the region’s commonplace hurricanes and tropical storms.

As would be expected from this island paradise, a Barbados vacation is an extremely popular Caribbean holiday for many international travellers. Its geographical position and the fact that Barbados is well served by regular flights from many international airports, ensures that most holidaymakers can be sunning themselves on one of the many white sand, powdery beaches within a few hours. For example, it would be possible to board a plane in New York, Chicago or Toronto and arrive at Bridgetown Airport, Barbados in around five hours. A flight from Los Angeles or London, UK would last approximately nine hours.

Barbados is a relatively flat island, especially when compared to its neighbours. The island comprises of undulating hills, rising gently as you travel towards the interior, until you reach the island’s highest point, Mount Hillaby, rising to some 1100 feet above sea level. The western side of Barbados geologically falls in a series of terraces, whereas the more exposed eastern side falls to the sea in a more steep incline. A series of coral reefs circle the coast of the island. These reefs offer bathers and watersports enthusiasts some protection from the otherwise quite strong currents, especially to the more exposed eastern coast, which is constantly battered by the Atlantic.

Most tourists flock to the busier resorts and towns situated in the more commercially developed south and west coasts of the island. Those looking for a more “get away from it all” holiday will find their perfect retreat to the north, whilst the surfers and thrill-seekers tend to head towards the Atlantic lashed east coast where you will find the best Barbados surf spots.

So, despite the relatively small land area, Barbados really does offer the perfect holiday for every taste and whim.