An island nation located in the Lesser Antilles of West Indies, and in the Caribbean region of the Americas. Occupying a land mass of 432 kilometers with a population of around 287,000 persons, its capital city and largest hub is Bridgetown. During the 18th century, the island was governed by a plantation economy, whose major workforce was enslaved Africans who were working on the island’s plantations. The import of slaves to the island continued till it was finally outlawed in the British Empire in 1807 by the Slave Trade Act. The final removal of enslaved persons in the country lasted over a period of five years after the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Presently, the island is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Commonwealth of Nations, etc.
If you are looking to learn about foreign diplomatic relations here, this article provides information on the foreign diplomatic relations of Barbados and other bilateral relationships.
About the country
It is an independent state and Commonwealth nation which recently became a republic within the Commonwealth. The people are mainly of African ancestry. Though it is an Atlantic Island, it is closely related to the Caribbean and ranks high as one of the region’s top tourist destinations. The nation has a policy of nonalignment and maintains cooperative relationships with all friendly states. It works as a part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was once released by the Caribbean Court of Justice as its final court of appeal.
Nations the country has diplomatic relations with
The nation has diplomatic relations with over 127 countries in the world. They include Guyana, New Zealand, Zambia, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Mexico, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Ghana, Fiji, Canada, France, Panama, Australia, Colombia, Nigeria, Uruguay, Bolivia, Turkey, Spain, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Austria, Serbia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Nepal, Kenya, Moldovia, Saudi Arabia, etc.
Multilateral memberships
The country is a part of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and an active member of the association. It provides special MFN treatment to all of its partnering countries. EU relations and cooperation with this island are carried out on both bilateral and regional basis. It is also a part of the Cotonou Agreement, which links to an Economic Partnership contract with the European Commission. The treaty includes the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) which is a subgroup of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP). Trade policy by the government seeks to protect domestic activities, especially food production, from foreign competition. As a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, it has participated in various roles such as elections observer. It was a host to numerous Commonwealth meetings including the 1990 Eleventh Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, the 2005 Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting, the 2010 Ninth Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting, etc.
Diplomatic relations of the country
The territory has diplomatic missions managed by ambassadors or high commissioners in Canada, the UK, the US, and Venezuela, and at Brussels and the United Nations. It also has consuls general in Toronto, Miami, and New York City. Whilst Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Canada, China, Guatemala, etc. have their resident ambassadors or high commissioners here.
Non-diplomatic relations
It may have total diplomatic relations with China but maintains economic and cultural relations with Taiwan through its Taipei Economic and Cultural Office located in Canada.
