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Capital of Barbados: Bridgetown — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown. Barbados sits in North America, has a population of 281,635, and uses the BBD. Official languages include English.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Bridgetown
  • Continent: North America
  • Population: ~281,635
  • Area: 430 km²
  • Population density: 655 people per km²
  • Official language: English
  • Currency: BBD
  • ISO code: BB

How big is Barbados?

By population, Barbados ranks 176th in the world, holding roughly well under a hundredth of a percent of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 185th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Barbados has 655 people per square kilometre, which is about 11 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within North America, Barbados is the 17th most populous country of 23.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Barbados in population are Vanuatu (326,740) and São Tomé and Príncipe (227,380).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Antigua and Barbuda (442 km²) and Seychelles (455 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

English is spoken officially in 58 countries in this dataset, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize and Botswana, and 52 others.

Barbados uses the BBD, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Barbados

Bridgetown takes its name from a bridge the first settlers found over the river there. For the flag, picture the sea god Neptune's trident standing on a golden beach between two blue seas.

The flag of Barbados: blue, gold and black

🇧🇧 The flag is three vertical bands of blue, gold and blue, with a black trident head in the centre. The blue bands stand for the sea and sky and the gold for the sandy beaches. The trident's broken shaft stands for the break from the island's colonial past.

Region and neighbours

Barbados is an island country in the Caribbean, the easternmost of the Caribbean islands, out in the Atlantic beyond the Windward Islands. As an island country it has no land neighbours.

Three facts about Barbados

  1. Barbados became a republic on 30 November 2021, replacing the British monarch with its own president.
  2. Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  3. Unlike most nearby islands, which are volcanic, Barbados is made mostly of coral limestone.

Sources: Wikipedia: Barbados, Wikipedia: Flag of Barbados, Wikipedia: Bridgetown, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Barbados

Barbados capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Barbados 🇧🇧?

    • Port of Spain
    • Basseterre
    • Panama City
    • Bridgetown
    Show answer

    Bridgetown

  2. What is the capital of Belize 🇧🇿?

    • San José
    • Nassau
    • Santo Domingo
    • Belmopan
    Show answer

    Belmopan

  3. What is the capital of Bahamas 🇧🇸?

    • Managua
    • Bridgetown
    • Nassau
    • Port-au-Prince
    Show answer

    Nassau

  4. What is the capital of Saint Lucia 🇱🇨?

    • Guatemala City
    • Havana
    • Belmopan
    • Castries
    Show answer

    Castries

  5. What is the capital of Grenada 🇬🇩?

    • Saint George's
    • Belmopan
    • Panama City
    • Nassau
    Show answer

    Saint George's

Barbados is also in the Caribbean capitals quiz.

Barbados in North America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Barbados belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Barbados.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Barbados?

The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown.

What is the population of Barbados?

About 281,635, making it the 176th most populous country in the world.

How big is Barbados?

430 square kilometres, ranking 185th by land area, at a density of 655 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Barbados use?

The BBD, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Barbados flag?

The flag of Barbados is three vertical bands of blue, gold and blue, with a black trident head in the centre. The blue bands stand for the sea and sky and the gold for the sandy beaches. The trident's broken shaft stands for the break from the island's colonial past.

Which countries border Barbados?

None. Barbados is an island country in the Caribbean, the easternmost of the Caribbean islands, out in the Atlantic beyond the Windward Islands, so it has no land borders with other countries.

How can I remember the capital of Barbados?

Bridgetown takes its name from a bridge the first settlers found over the river there. For the flag, picture the sea god Neptune's trident standing on a golden beach between two blue seas.

More capitals to learn

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