Barbados is a small island nation located in the Caribbean Sea, near where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, approximately three kilometers off the island’s easternmost point.

Located at approximately 13°10' north latitude and 59°30' west longitude, Barbados is part of the Lesser Antilles. The nearest islands are Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia, to the west. To the south lie Trinidad and Tobago—with which Barbados now shares a fixed and official maritime border—and the South American coast. Barbados has a total area of approximately 430 km²; its population density is the highest in the Americas (8th highest in the world). The island is relatively low-lying, with the highest peaks located inland: the highest point in Barbados is Mount Hillaby (340 m) in the parish of Saint Andrew. The island has a tropical climate, with trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean keeping temperatures mild. Some of the less developed parts of this country, which is about three times the size of Marie-Galante, are home to tropical forests and mangroves. Other parts of the interior are used for agricultural production, primarily sugarcane. Barbados’s economy is primarily based on tourism.