James Baquet Barbados is a Caribbean Island located near the southern end of the Lesser Antilles, which, with the Greater Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago, form the West Indies. The country’s sole island is merely 34 kilometers long and 23 kilometers wide; at 439 square kilometers, it is ranked the world’s 184th in area (out of 196). Though included in the Windward chain of the Lesser Antilles, it lies about 168 kilometers due west of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in the Windwards’ main line; Saint Lucia is to St. Vincent’s north, and Grenada to its south. The word “Barbados” is from either Portuguese or Spanish (the languages of two of the early European countries to claim the island) meaning “the bearded ones.” It is unclear whether the name refers to the aerial roots of a species of fig tree which grows there, or to the unusually heavy beards of the original natives, all of whom fled the island after the Europeans arrived. The same story is told, by the way, of Barbuda, part of the Caribbean Island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. In 1625 the island was claimed in the name of King James I of England, and the first permanent European settlement was planted in 1627 (though the Portuguese had previously left wild hogs there to supply meat to passing ships). The island was developed as a sugar colony, and dealt in slaves until that trade was outlawed. Barbados became independent of Britain in 1966, though it is still a Commonwealth realm, and Queen Elizabeth II, the British monarch, is the head of state. The Queen appoints a governor-general and a prime minister. Over 90 percent of the population of nearly 285,000 is of African descent; another 5 percent is Indian or Mestizo (of mixed Indian and European origin), and a handful are European descendants. About three-quarters of the people are Christian. English is the official language, and a local Creole, called Bajan or Barbadian English, is a recognized regional language. One unusual feature of the population is its longevity. While life expectancy is only 74 years on average (72 for males and 77 for females), the country ties with Japan as having the largest number of centenarians per capita. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. king or queen 2. chain of islands 3. length of life 4. biological type 5. in the air 6. made illegal 7. achieves the same score (as) 8. not known for certain 9. people who live to 100 and beyond 10. pigs | 