Barbados Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Barbados?

Overview

Barbados lies about 270 miles northeast of Venezuela and 1,612 miles southeast of Miami. The island is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide with an area of 166 square miles. Constant westward tradewinds temper the tropical climate throughout the year.

Situated 100 miles to the east of the Caribbean Windward Island chain, Barbados is distinct from those islands by the fact that it is a coral island, rather than volcanic, and relatively flat.

Mt. Hillaby, the highest point, is only 1,104 feet above sea level. Bridgetown, the capital, is located on the southwest corner of the island. The west and south coast areas are densely populated, with hotels, residential, and commercial areas intermingling. The rugged, windswept East Coast boasts the scenic Scotland District. The currents on the East Coast are very dangerous, and swimming is forbidden on many of its beaches. The interior of the island rises gently and sugarcane fields are interspersed with villages, farms, and the occasional plantation Great House.

Geography - note

Easternmost Caribbean island

Climate

The temperature in Barbados varies little during the year, averaging about 77°F (25°C) and rarely rising above 89°F (32°C) or falling below 65°F (18°C). However, the intensity of the sun this near to the Equator often makes it seem much hotter, especially when combined with high humidity. During July through October, the rainy season as well as the hurricane season, high humidity levels make the weather quite uncomfortable. During the dry winter months from November through May, which is the tourist season, it is more comfortable and can even become cool in the evenings. However, even in these months a significant amount of rain can fall.

Barbados Use of Natural Resources

Barbados Environment

Climate:

The temperature in Barbados varies little during the year, averaging about 77°F (25°C) and rarely rising above 89°F (32°C) or falling below 65°F (18°C). However, the intensity of the sun this near to the Equator often makes it seem much hotter, especially when combined with high humidity. During July through October, the rainy season as well as the hurricane season, high humidity levels make the weather quite uncomfortable. During the dry winter months from November through May, which is the tourist season, it is more comfortable and can even become cool in the evenings. However, even in these months a significant amount of rain can fall.

Terrain:

Relatively flat; rises gently to a central highland region

Natural Resources:

Petroleum, fish, natural gas

Natural Hazards:

Infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Irrigated Land:

21 Square Miles
54 Square Kilometers

Environmental Issues:

Pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

Environment - International Agreements:

Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Barbados Geography

Geographic Location The Caribbean
Total Area 166 Square Miles
430 Square Kilometers
Land Area 166 Square Miles
430 Square Kilometers
Irrigated Land 21 Square Miles
54 Square Kilometers
Coastline 60 Miles
97 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Terrain Relatively flat; rises gently to a central highland region
Highest Point 336 Meters
Highest Point Location Mount Hillaby 336 m
Lowest Point Location Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural Resources Petroleum, fish, natural gas
Time Zone UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
All Countries
Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe