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Barbados

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Barbados as seen from space. Fringing reefs around the island have declined over many decades although there are still submerged reefs off the west and southern coasts. Image courtesy of NASA.
Bridgetown is the capital city of the island nation of Barbados, located to the east of the Lesser Antilles Island chain. While Barbados is considered part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located within the western Atlantic Ocean rather than the Caribbean Sea. Besides being the seat of government, Bridgetown is the largest city in Barbados. It and the surrounding towns that make up the Greater Bridgetown area are located along the southwestern coastline of the island. The metropolitan area is readily recognizable in this astronaut photograph due to the gray and white rooftops and street grids (image center) that contrast with green vegetated fields and riverside areas of the island's interior to the northeast (image top center). Bridgetown is a major port destination for both commercial and cruise ships serving the eastern Caribbean - several ships are visible within Carlisle Bay. Water color in the image changes from light blue along the coastline - indicating shallow water - to the dark blue of deeper water away from the island. Photo courtesy of NASA.
Bathsheba Beach is a popular surfing spot along the rugged east coast. Limestone formations dot the coastline providing a stark contrast to the clear waters.
Bathsheba Beach is a popular surfing spot along the rugged east coast. Limestone formations dot the coastline providing a stark contrast to the clear waters.
Bathsheba Beach is a popular surfing spot along the rugged east coast. Limestone formations dot the coastline providing a stark contrast to the clear waters.
An old tree near Flower Cave along the Barbados North Coast is home to a directional signpost.
Flower Cave on the Barbados north coast is a hollowed-out limestone cave that gets partially submerged during high tide. Tourists can come visit during low tide and peer out to the ocean.
Barbados geology is founded upon coral deposits and uplifts. Along the north shore, coral cliffs rise 15 m (50 ft) above the water below. Waves crashing into the cliffs spray high into the air as they push ashore.
The fort at Needham’s Point protects the southwest corner of Barbados. At sunset, the sky lights up with deep red and orange hues.
The eastern coast of Barbados faces the open ocean. The mostly rural region takes advantage of the environment to grow many of the Bajan crops.
The Morgan Lewis Windmill, located in St. Andrew, Barbados, is the largest and only fully functioning sugar windmill in the Caribbean. Windmills harnessed the energy of prevailing trade winds to mill grains and other agricultural products. This mill’s wind-driven machinery that ground sugarcane in the 18th and 19th centuries was still intact even at cessation of operations in 1947. In 1962, the Barbados National Trust acquired the mill for preservation as a museum and it was dismantled and restored to full functionality and able to grind cane again.
One of the early crops grown in Barbados was sugar cane. To help with crop management and transportation, a train system was constructed along the eastern coast. This train still transports tourists to a scenic overlook providing insights into Bajan history.
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