Location, size and languageBarbados is an island located in the Atlantic. It is located approximately 200 miles northeast of Trinidad and approximately 2.5 times the area of ​​Washington DC (Barbados, 2011). The capital, Bridgetown, is located on the southwestern coast of the island. The official language of Barbados is English. The population of Barbados was estimated at 285,653 by the United Nations (UN) in 2010 (Barbados, 2007). The inhabitants of Barbadians are called Bajans. Approximately 90% of residents are of African descent, 4% are of European descent, and 6% are of Asian or mixed descent. The dominant religion in Barbados is Christianity; with 67% Protestant, 4% Roman Catholic, 17% atheist, and 12% not an active member of a particular denomination (Background note: Barbados, 2011). History Barbados was believed to have been initially settled by the Arawak Indians. When Europeans discovered the island, it was no longer colonized. The first Europeans to enter Barbados were the Portuguese, but in 1627 the English were the first to establish a colony there (Barbados, 2011). Tobacco and cotton were grown first by colonists, but were replaced by sugar around 1640. “Slaves were brought from Africa to work on the sugar plantations, and eventually the population was made up of 90 percent blacks” (Barbados, 2011). A slave revolution occurred in 1816, and slavery was finally abolished in 1834 throughout the British Empire. Political System and Government Barbados gained independence on 30 November 1966 from Great Britain. Within the Commonwealth it became a parliamentary democracy. Barbados has been politically stable since its independence (Barbados, 2011). The legal system of Barbados is established by British common law. It has a crown-appointed governor...... middle of paper......com: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107321.html#ixzz1bHjyGwliBarbados. (2011). Retrieved October 20, 2011, from the Heritage Foundation: http://www.heritage.org/index/country/barbados Barbados Minimum Wage, Labor Law and Employment Fact Sheet. (2011). Retrieved October 21, 2011, from Minimum-Wage.org: http://www.minimum-wage.org/international/en/BarbadosOffshore Company in the Bahamas. (2011). Retrieved October 21, 2011, from offshorecompany.com: http://www.offshorecompany.com/company/bahamas.asp?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=OFC_INC&kw=business_in_bahamas&cr5=5960140881&utm_source=GAW_SE_NWOFC_INC&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=business_in_ba hamas&keyword=business_in_bahamas&mm_campaign=24ce0a789667d3a56f624af751Top 5 things to know Information about doing business in Barbados. (2010). Retrieved October 21, 2011, from Business Barbados: http://businessbarbados.com/why-barbados/5-reasons/