St. James Church near Holetown in the western part of the island dates from 1872 although it was built on the site of the early settlers 1660 church.   The population of the Barbados is roughly 275,000. On an island of 430 square km, this makes for a high density rate, roughly 650 people per square km. The Amerindian influences on Barbadian (Bajan, in the local dialect) culture were not substantial. No place names and relatively few artifacts indicate their presence. Spanish and French influences seen on neighbouring Windward Islands were also negligible. The island sensibility is a product of two primary cultures, British and African. The island was subsequently a British possession for its entire colonial history and today retains more British customs and sensibilities - afternoon teas, cricket, formal dinners - than you'll see anywhere south of the Bahamas. Barbados has a high literacy rate and, subsequently, one of the highest per capita incomes in the Caribbean. Barbados is an independent member of the Commonwealth.