History

European Union finance ministers publish a list of seventeen jurisdictions, including Barbados, they accuse of being uncooperative on tax matters.

Prime Minister Stuart announces plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as the titular head of state and to make Barbados a republic.

Australian mining giant BHP Billiton is granted licences to explore for oil in waters southeast of Barbados.

The government announces plans to abolish the mandatory death penalty for murder. Executions have not been carried out since 1984.

The governing Democratic Labour Party scores a narrow victory in parliamentary elections.

Prime Minister Thompson dies in office. Freundel Stuart becomes PM.

PM David Thompson survives no-confidence vote brought over his handling of financial crisis precipitated by collapse of Trinidad-based insurance company Clico - the region's biggest casualty of global financial crisis.

Launch of bid for offshore oil exploration leads to row with Venezuela over demarcation of maritime border.

Parliamentary elections won by opposition Democratic Labour Party. David Thompson becomes prime minister.

Sea border disagreement with Trinidad and Tobago flares after arrest of Barbadian fishermen. Barbados takes border case to UN-backed tribunal.

BLP wins 23 of 30 seats in general elections; Owen Arthur returned for third term.

Barbados is removed from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) list of countries deemed to be uncooperative tax havens. The country was put on the list in 2000.

BLP wins a landslide in the general elections, capturing 26 of the 28 seats in the House of Assembly.

Owen Arthur becomes prime minister after his BLP wins a decisive victory in the general elections, securing 19 of the 28 seats in the House of Assembly, the lower chamber of parliament.

Erskine Lloyd Sandiford (DLP) becomes prime minister following the death of Barrow.

Errol Barrow becomes prime minister after his DLP wins the general elections.

Adams dies and is replaced by Bernard St John (BLP) as prime minister.

Barbados supports and provides a base for the US invasion of Grenada

BLP, led by Tom Adams, the son of Grantley Adams, returns to power after winning the first general elections since 1961

Barbados establishes relations with Cuba.

Barbados joins the United Nations.

Barbados becomes independent with Barrow as prime minister.

Barbados granted full internal self-government with DLP leader Errol Barrow as premier.

Barbados a member of the British-sponsored Federation of the West Indies, of which Grantley Adams became the first prime minister.

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) formed out of a splinter of the BLP.

Ministerial government set up with Grantley Adams as premier.

Universal adult suffrage introduced; BLP wins general elections.

Outbreak of riots in response to poor economic conditions; British Royal Commission sent in to investigate conditions; Barbados Labour Party (BLP) founded by Grantley Adams.

British proposal for a confederation of Barbados and the Windward Islands triggers bloody riots in Barbados.

Slavery abolished

Slaves stage a revolt.

Barbados is made into an English crown possession.

Barbados's first parliament, the House of Assembly, holds its first meeting.

Captain Henry Powell lands a party of English settlers who establish a colony, which they then develop as a sugar plantation economy using slaves brought in from Africa.

Portuguese explorer Pedro a Campos visits the island.