| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Developments in Sedimentology |
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| Publisher | Elsevier |
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| Pages | 381-406 |
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| Number of pages | 26 |
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| Edition | C |
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| DOIs | |
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| State | Published - 2004 |
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| Name | Developments in Sedimentology |
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| Number | C |
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| Volume | 54 |
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| ISSN (Print) | 0070-4571 |
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Funding Information:
Barbados was originally settled by Arawak and Carib Amerindians who abandoned the island by the early 1600s. The island was charted in 1536 by the Portuguese who named it Los Barbados, or The Bearded Ones; however, the Portuguese never claimed the island. The name presumably derives from the abundance of ficus trees, which have aerial roots that look like beards. Barbados was claimed in 1625 by the British merchant Captain John Powell for King James I. Barbados’ Parliament was established in 1639, making it the second oldest parliament outside the British Isles (Bermuda's was the first). On November 30, 1966, Barbados became a fully independent nation within the Commonwealth and joined the United Nations. The island supports a population of about 250,000 and has the highest literacy rate and among the highest standards of living in the Caribbean. Population density is about 590 persons km −2 . Although the rate of population growth is quite low (about 0.2% y −1 ), economic and infrastructure development has been rapid. The economy is supported by tourism, sugarcane agriculture, light industry, and offshore financial services. In recent years, there has been a gradual replacement of sugarcane agriculture by other diverse cash crops, due to lower sugar prices worldwide and higher local wage costs.