The parish of Saint James ("St. James") is located in the western central part of Barbados.

St. James is known as the playground of the rich and famous and a haven for sun-starved tourists.

In local colloquium, St. James was known as the "Gold Coast", nowdays the "Platinum Coast", reflective of the parishes many glitzy beach-front mansions, pristine beaches, luxury hotels and consistently high land prices.

The parish also has great historic significance being that the first British settlers landed in 1625.

Under 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".

Noted for its shopping and restaurants, St. James is central to Barbados' bustling tourist industry, with historical attractions including the St. James Parish Church and the Portvale Sugar Factory, one of the few remaining operational sugar factories on the island.

Though a haven for wealthy 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.