<p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">Barbados is an eastern Caribbean island and an independent British Commonwealth nation. Bridgetown, the capital, is a cruise-ship port with colonial buildings and Nidhe Israel, a synagogue founded in 1654. Around the island are beaches, botanical gardens, the Harrison’s Cave formation, and 17th-century plantation houses like St. Nicholas Abbey. Local traditions include afternoon tea and cricket, the national sport.<br></p><p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">Barbados’ name - meaning "the bearded ones," was derived from the bearded fig trees that were in abundance on the Island when it was discovered. It is the most eastward Island in the Caribbean and the only one that does not touch the Caribbean Sea.&nbsp;<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;">It is entirely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean with all white sand beaches; truly a vacation destination. It is known for its natural marvels, beautiful beaches, and, of course, global super sensation- Rihanna.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br></span></p><h3 class="jsn-moduletitle cc_cursor" style="line-height: 21px; margin: 20px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">HISTORY</h3><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">The Portuguese were the first to rediscover Barbados. In fact, Portuguese navigator, Pedro a Campos, is credited for naming the Island then, "Los Barbados."&nbsp;<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;">The introduction of sugar cane by the Dutch in 1640 propelled Barbados into having one of the largest sugar industries in the world, which became the country's main source of commercial income. Consequently, it was divided into large plantation estates- so much so that there was scarcely any land allocated to agriculture resulting in most of their food being imported from New England. Many plantation grounds remain throughout the Island, although its economy now mostly relies on tourism.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><br></span></p>