Saint Andrew, Barbados

Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew Parish Church
Saint Andrew´s Parish Church
Map of Barbados showing Saint Andrew
Map of Barbados showing Saint Andrew
Coordinates: 13°14′N 59°34′W / 13.233°N 59.567°W / 13.233; -59.567
CountryBarbados
Largest villageBelleplaine
Government
 • TypeParliamentary democracy
 • Parliamentary seats1
Area
 • Total36 km2 (14 sq mi)
Population
 (2010 census)
 • Total5,139
 • Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeBB-02[1]

Saint Andrew ("St. Andrew") is one of eleven parishes of Barbados. It is situated in the northeastern area in the country.

Saint Andrew is one of the more unspoiled parts of the island owing to its physical makeup of green rolling hills. The parish of Saint Andrew also has the country's highest natural elevation, the 336 m (1,102 ft) Mount Hillaby at the southern part of the parish.

The parish is named after the patron saint, Saint Andrew, who is also the basis of the name for Barbados' former national award "The Order of Saint Andrew" and also the shape of the cross formed by two sugar cane stalks in the national Coat of Arms of Barbados.

During the colonial years under Britain, the British thought the area resembled the hills and fields of Scotland. This led to parts of the Parish of Saint Andrew today being nicknamed the "Scotland District". During the 1990s the Government of the time proposed a "Greenland Landfill" located within the parish. However, because of Saint Andrew's fragile environment and its possibility of future soil erosion the opening of the completed landfill has yet to come-about after almost a decade.

Saint Andrew lies on the eastern coastline of Barbados, where the Atlantic Ocean tends to be more turbulent. As part of Barbados' attempts to preserve the environment the parish is also home to several natural reserves including the Turner's Hall Woods.

  1. ^ iso:code:3166:BB, International Organization for Standardization