Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Bridgetown is in St. Michael’s Parish, which has a population of 77,394. The city lies on Carlisle Bay in southwestern Barbados. Bridgetown is the country’s chief port. Its main economic activities are tourism, fishing, wholesale and retail trade, and light manufacturing and processing. The chief products include electronic components, clothing and textiles, processed sugar, molasses, and rum. The University of the West Indies, a regional university with campuses in several countries, has a campus at Cave Hill, just northwest of Bridgetown.
Charles Wolverstone of England founded Bridgetown in 1628. A bridge built by American Indians existed on the site of the city at that time. Thus, the city was first called Indian Bridge or Indian-Bridge Town.
