Barbados – UPSC Prelims

Barbados:
  • Barbados is an eastern Caribbean island and an independent British Commonwealth nation
  • Nearly 400 years after the country became a British colony, Barbados has become the world’s newest republic.
  • This was done after Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state in a ceremony attended by Prince Charles.
  • What is the history of Barbados as a British Colony?
    • Barbados first became an English colony when a ship arrived at the Caribbean in 1625.
    • On November 30, 1966, Barbados gained its independence. With Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados.
    • Now it will become the world’s newest republic. However, it will continue to be one of the 54 Commonwealth nations.
  • Barbados will not be the first former British colony in the Caribbean to become a republic. Guyana took that step in 1970, less than four years after gaining independence from Britain. Trinidad and Tobago followed suit in 1976 and Dominica in 1978.

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