Barbados was discovered by Portuguese explorer Pedro Campos in 1536, when he named the island Os Barbados (“The Bearded Ones”) which was subsequently shortened to Barbados. The Island is located just off the coast of South America, with Venezuela the nearest major neighbour. The island of Barbados is situated in a group of islands which include the tourist havens of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados itself is part of the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 430 square kilometres (23 kilometres wide and 34 kilometres long at the widest points). It offers a relatively flat landscape, which rises slightly in the centre of the island – offering beautiful views of the beaches.

While the island has a tropical climate, which is very attractive to the tourist industry, there is a rainy season from June to October, although thankfully the country is situated just outside of the infamous hurricane belt. Barbados itself has one of the highest literacy rates in the developing world, not to mention one of the highest standards of living. The make-up and culture of the island is heavily influenced by the British who have had a presence there for some time – indeed it has become a holiday paradise for many well known British entrepreneurs.