Map - Saint James, Barbados (Saint James)

Saint James (Saint James)
The parish of Saint James ("St. James") is an area located in the western central part of the country of Barbados. Increasingly St. James is becoming known as the playground of the rich and famous, and as a haven for sun-starved tourists with its up-market hotel resorts.

In local colloquium, St. James was known as the "Gold Coast", but due to its ongoing popularity it is now often referred to as the "Platinum Coast", reflective of the parish's many glitzy beach-front mansions, pristine beaches, luxury hotel resorts, and consistently high land prices.

The parish also has great historic significance, as it was here that the first British settlers landed in 1625. Under the authority of King James, the British claimed Barbados upon landing in St. James' present-day town of Holetown (formerly known as Jamestown, named after the King himself); this settlement turned Barbados into what would later be known colloquially as "Little England".

Noted for its shopping and restaurants in Holetown, Saint James, is central to Barbados' bustling tourist industry, with historical attractions including the St. James Parish Church and the Portvale Sugar Factory, one of the few remaining operational sugar factories on the island.

Though the beach area is a haven for wealthy tourists and foreign expatriates, St. James as a whole is far from exclusive. As one of the bigger parishes of Barbados, it is home to over 20,000 nationals in its various districts, across various social strata. The parish is home to the prestigious Queen's College, one of the foremost schools not only in Barbados, but also the Caribbean, founded over a century ago by British plantation owner Colonel Henry Drax. At its most rural, the parish's many villages (such as the seafront Fitts Village) are abuzz with activity, near-familial camaraderie, and an active social atmosphere.

 
Map - Saint James (Saint James)
Country - Barbados
Flag of Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of 432 km2 and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.

Inhabited by Kalinago people since the 13th century, and prior to that by other Amerindians, Spanish navigators took possession of Barbados in the late 15th century, claiming it for the Crown of Castile. It first appeared on a Spanish map in 1511. The Portuguese Empire claimed the island between 1532 and 1536, but abandoned it in 1620 with their only remnants being an introduction of wild boars for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados on 14 May 1625; its men took possession of the island in the name of King James I. In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and Barbados became an English and later British colony. During this period, the colony operated on a plantation economy, relying on the labour of African slaves who worked on the island's plantations. Slavery continued until it was phased out through most of the British Empire by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.
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Currency / Language  
ISO Currency Symbol Significant figures
BBD Barbados dollar $ 2
USD United States dollar $ 2
ISO Language
EN English language
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