Colonized by the British in 1627, Barbados grew rich in the 18th century from sugar produced using slave labor.

• 1951 Universal adult suffrage introduced.
• 1961 Full internal self-government.
• 1966 Independence from the UK.
• 1983 Barbados supports and provides a base for the US invasion of Grenada.
• 1994–2003 The BLP wins three successive general elections.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004