Barbados

Barbados (Portuguese word for bearded-ones), situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent island nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. Its closest island neighbours are Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Saint Lucia to the west. The highest point in Barbados is Mount Hillaby in the parish of Saint Andrew. The island's climate is tropical, with constant trade winds off the Atlantic Ocean serving to keep temperatures mild. Some less developed areas of the country contain tropical woodland and mangroves. Other parts of the interior which contribute to the agriculture industry are dotted with large sugarcane estates and wide, gently sloping pastures, with panoramic views down to the coast. Barbados has a high level of education enrolment of almost 100% with little illiteracy among people aged 15-24.