Barbados is a small, pear-shaped island, located about 250 miles (400 km) off the coast of South America. In the early 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers often raided the island, capturing and enslaving the natives. By 1627, when the English established a colony on Barbados, the island was practically uninhabited. But the English colony thrived, and Barbados soon became known for its exports of sugarcane. Today, most of Barbados's 280,000 residents are descended from African slaves brought to the island to work on sugarcane plantations. The island gained independence from Great Britain in 1966. It has long been a popular destination for tourists, and each year more than a million visitors delight in the island's lush vegetation, stunning coral reefs, and sandy beaches. There's a lot to discover about Barbados! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each book and provide readers with suggestions for projects and reports that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.