Saint James, Barbados

Statistics
Parish:	Saint James
Area:	31km² (12 sq. mi.)
Largest City:	Holetown
Population (1990 est.):	20,771 inhab.
Population Density:	670,03 inhab/km²
Parliamentary representation
- House seats	3
Map
Parishes of Barbados

The parish of Saint James ("St. James") is an area located in the western part of the country of Barbados. Increasingly St. James is being known as the playground of the rich and famous, and haven for sun-starved tourists.

In local colloquium, St. James was known as the "Gold Coast", but due to ongoing popularity it is now referred to as the "Platinum Coast", reflective of the parishes many glitzy beach-front mansions, pristine beaches, luxury hotels and almost ridiculous land prices. Many Barbadians say within the Platinum Coast there are as many as, 18 global billionaires own property somewhere within a 6-mile stretch of beach on the island.

The parish also has great historic significance, as it was here that the first British settlers landed in 1625. Under the authority of King James, the British claimed Barbados upon landing in St. James' present-day city of Holetown (formerly Jamestown, named after the King himself), this settlement turned Barbados into what would later be known as "Little England".

As the sole parish that combines good shopping, excellent eating, and the chance to hob-nob with the who's who's of Hollywood and beyond, St. James is the gem of Barbados' bustling tourist industry, with attractions steeped in history from the St. James Parish Church, to the Portvale Sugar Factory - one of the few operational sugar factories on the island.

Though a haven for tourists and foreign expatriates, St. James is far from exclusive. As one of the bigger parishes, it is home to over 20,000 nationals strewn across its many districts, across various social strata. The parish is home to the prestigious Queen's College, one of the foremost schools not only in Barbados, but the Caribbean, founded over a century ago by a British plantation owner by the name of Col. Henry Drax. At its most rural, the parish's many villages (such as the seafront "Fitts Village") are abuzz with activity, near-familial camaraderie, and an active social atmosphere.

Parishes bordering St. James

*Saint Andrew - "East"
*Saint Peter - "North"
*Saint Michael - "South"
*Saint Thomas - "Southeast"