Land covered by forest
14.6%% of land area
#143 of 2132024
46% of world average
SERIAL · 052North America
Barbados
CapitalBridgetown
CurrencyBBD · Barbadian dollar
LanguageEnglish, Bajan Creole
Area431 km²
Since1623
ISOBRB · BB
Population
282,623as of 2025
Watermark portrait: Rihanna
— THE COUNTRY —
Island nation in the Atlantic Ocean
Barbados is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and is the southernmost and easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.
Text: Wikipedia — BarbadosCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-10-23
— FACTS —
- Capital
- Bridgetown
- Currency
- Barbadian dollar (BBD)
- Official language
- English, Bajan Creole
- Drives on the
- Left
- Calling code
- +1246
- Licence plate code
- BDS
- Top-level domain
- .bb
- Independence / founding
- 1623
- Highest point
- Mount Hillaby (340 m)
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean (0 m)
- Anthem
- National Anthem of Barbados
— LAND —
Forest area
63km²
#191 of 2132025
0% of world average
Agricultural land
23.2%% of land area
#139 of 2092024
62% of world average
Farmable (arable) land
16.2%% of land area
#64 of 2062024
117% of world average
Land area
431km²
#195 of 2152024
0% of world average
— PEOPLE —
Population
282,623people
#179 of 2162025
1% of world average
Population growth
0.1%% per year
#166 of 2162025
6% of world average
Population density
655people per km²
#13 of 2152024
144% of world average
People living in cities
59.7%% of population
#126 of 2162025
94% of world average
Urban population growth
0.3%% per year
#166 of 2162025
21% of world average
People living rurally
40.3%% of population
#91 of 2162025
110% of world average
Population aged 0-14
17.1%% of population
#153 of 2162025
68% of world average
Population aged 15-64
65.8%% of population
#76 of 2162025
103% of world average
Population aged 65+
17.1%% of population
#55 of 2162025
158% of world average
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
Age dependency ratio
51.9%% of working-age population
#141 of 2162025
90% of world average
Female population
52.1%% of population
#28 of 2162025
104% of world average
Births per woman
1.71births per woman
#127 of 2162024
73% of world average
Birth rate
11.1 /1,000per 1,000 people
#133 of 2162024
65% of world average
Death rate
10.2 /1,000per 1,000 people
#34 of 2162024
133% of world average
Net migration
-87people (5-year total)
#91 of 2162025
-79% of world average
Migrants living in the country
12.5%% of population
#69 of 2152024
94% of world average
— MONEY —
GDP
$8.02Bcurrent US$
#160 of 2112025
1% of world average
GDP, purchasing power parity
$7.32Bcurrent int'l $
#166 of 1992025
1% of world average
GDP per person
$28,365current US$
#60 of 2112025
118% of world average
GDP per person, purchasing power parity
$25,894current int'l $
#89 of 1992025
78% of world average
GDP growth
2.7%% per year
#126 of 2102025
80% of world average
GDP per person growth
2.6%% per year
#97 of 2102025
111% of world average
Gross national income
$7.69Bcurrent US$
#159 of 2042025
1% of world average
Gross national income per person
$27,080current US$
#53 of 2032025
134% of world average
Gross national income per person, PPP
$24,840current int'l $
#89 of 1972025
78% of world average
▸ ISSUE 24 MORE
Inflation
0.8%% per year
#34 of 1902025
10% of world average
Inflation (GDP deflator)
2.7%% per year
#82 of 2092025
39% of world average
Real interest rate
8.2%%
#30 of 1342022
199% of world average
Lending interest rate
8.1%%
#76 of 1342022
71% of world average
Government debt
125.0%% of GDP
#61 of 632016
210% of world average
Government revenue
25.2%% of GDP
#76 of 1492016
96% of world average
Government spending
28.8%% of GDP
#60 of 1492016
104% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
$273.1Mcurrent US$
#131 of 2012025
3% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
3.4%% of GDP
#55 of 1982025
no comparison
Foreign investment outflows
0.2%% of GDP
#102 of 1792025
10% of world average
Current account balance
-5.1%% of GDP
#140 of 1912017
no comparison
Foreign reserves
$1.65Bcurrent US$
#132 of 1772024
2% of world average
Income inequality (Gini)
34.10-100
#72 of 1472016
96% of world average
People below the poverty line
1.7%% of population
#73 of 1472016
13% of world average
Income share held by richest 10%
25.8%%
#61 of 1472016
93% of world average
Income share held by poorest 10%
2.5%%
#95 of 1472016
89% of world average
Stock market value
51.5%% of GDP
#36 of 882020
68% of world average
Money sent home by workers abroad
$85.2Mcurrent US$
#158 of 1862017
2% of world average
Foreign aid received
0.3%% of GNI
not enough data to rank2010
5% of world average
Exchange rate
2local currency per US$
#144 of 2112025
0% of world average
Agriculture's share of the economy
1.6%% of GDP
#159 of 1992024
16% of world average
Industry's share of the economy
12.2%% of GDP
#174 of 2022024
50% of world average
Manufacturing's share of the economy
4.9%% of GDP
#155 of 1952024
45% of world average
Services' share of the economy
75.8%% of GDP
#17 of 2022024
131% of world average
6 of 39 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— TRADE —
Total trade (openness)
33.1%% of GDP
#170 of 2052025
51% of world average
Goods exported
$428.0Mcurrent US$
#171 of 2072025
0% of world average
Goods imported
$2.23Bcurrent US$
#158 of 2072025
2% of world average
Services exported
$1.52Bcurrent US$
#123 of 1912017
3% of world average
Services imported
$687.0Mcurrent US$
#158 of 1912017
2% of world average
Goods and services exported
$2.23Bcurrent US$
#151 of 1912017
1% of world average
Goods and services imported
$2.21Bcurrent US$
#162 of 1912017
1% of world average
High-tech share of exports
19.9%% of manufactured exports
#35 of 1792024
164% of world average
Terms of trade
95.7index
#139 of 2062024
91% of world average
3 of 12 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— HEALTH —
Life expectancy
76.3 yrsyears
#95 of 2162024
103% of world average
Life expectancy, women
78.8 yrsyears
#103 of 2162024
103% of world average
Life expectancy, men
73.8 yrsyears
#88 of 2162024
103% of world average
Infant deaths
9.1 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#78 of 1962024
49% of world average
Deaths under age 5
9.8 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#74 of 1962024
40% of world average
Maternal deaths
35per 100,000 live births
#83 of 1942023
30% of world average
Health spending
5.4%% of GDP
#121 of 1932023
79% of world average
Health spending per person
$1,286current US$
#55 of 1932023
88% of world average
Physicians
3.0 /1,000per 1,000 people
#63 of 1872022
140% of world average
▸ ISSUE 9 MORE
Nurses and midwives
3.7 /1,000per 1,000 people
#103 of 1962023
78% of world average
Hospital beds
6.4 /1,000per 1,000 people
#14 of 1572023
216% of world average
Access to clean drinking water
99.2%% of population
#79 of 2142024
109% of world average
Access to basic sanitation
98.1%% of population
#71 of 2132024
122% of world average
Suicide rate
3.5per 100,000 people
#38 of 1852021
41% of world average
HIV prevalence
1.0%% aged 15-49
#114 of 1532024
73% of world average
Tuberculosis cases
1per 100,000 people
#8 of 2082024
1% of world average
Undernourishment
5.0%% of population
#76 of 1682024
50% of world average
Children vaccinated against measles
88.0%% of children 12-23 months
#112 of 1932024
103% of world average
1 of 19 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— LEARNING —
Education spending
3.6%% of GDP
#121 of 1902024
82% of world average
Education spending
14.2%% of government spending
#73 of 1892025
105% of world average
Adult literacy
99.3%% aged 15+
not enough data to rank1970
119% of world average
Youth literacy
100.0%% aged 15-24
not enough data to rank2012
110% of world average
Primary school enrolment
83.9%% gross
#183 of 2002024
83% of world average
Secondary school enrolment
104.4%% gross
#43 of 1882024
120% of world average
University enrolment
50.8%% gross
#81 of 1672025
102% of world average
Primary school completion
85.3%% of relevant age group
#130 of 1802024
95% of world average
Pupils per teacher, primary school
14pupils per teacher
#50 of 1602018
63% of world average
▸ ISSUE 1 MORE
Years of compulsory education
11.0 yrsyears
#62 of 1972025
110% of world average
— WORK —
Unemployment
6.5%% of labour force
#118 of 1862025
94% of world average
Youth unemployment
18.5%% of labour force aged 15-24
#127 of 1862025
118% of world average
Labour force participation
64.7%% aged 15+
#66 of 1862025
107% of world average
Women in the labour force
61.0%% of women aged 15+
#45 of 1862025
120% of world average
Men in the labour force
68.7%% of men aged 15+
#107 of 1862025
98% of world average
Labour force
151,620people
#176 of 1862025
1% of world average
Working in agriculture
1.2%% of employment
#171 of 1862025
6% of world average
Working in industry
16.2%% of employment
#132 of 1862025
83% of world average
Working in services
82.6%% of employment
#12 of 1862025
141% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Self-employed
19.5%% of employment
#128 of 1862025
51% of world average
Labour force with advanced education
79.2%% of labour force
#71 of 1712023
104% of world average
Employed
60.5%% aged 15+
#70 of 1862025
107% of world average
— CONNECTED —
People online
70.4%% of population
#132 of 2072024
99% of world average
Mobile phone subscriptions
115per 100 people
#107 of 2102022
99% of world average
Fixed broadband subscriptions
37.5per 100 people
#35 of 2082022
206% of world average
Fixed telephone lines
43per 100 people
#19 of 2132022
289% of world average
Access to electricity
100.0%% of population
#1 of 2142024
113% of world average
Access to clean cooking fuel
100.0%% of population
#1 of 1892024
144% of world average
Energy used per person
1,478kg oil equivalent per person
not enough data to rank2007
66% of world average
Air passengers carried
0passengers
not enough data to rank1991
0% of world average
Air freight
0.4million tonne-km
not enough data to rank1991
0% of world average
▸ ISSUE 5 MORE
Container port traffic
101,300TEU
#122 of 1672023
2% of world average
Patent applications by residents
1count
#78 of 1422022
0% of world average
Scientific journal articles published
56.8count
#150 of 1972023
0% of world average
Tourists arriving
966,000count
#99 of 1942019
19% of world average
Money earned from tourism
$1.07Bcurrent US$
#70 of 1752016
29% of world average
4 of 18 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— NATURE —
Carbon emissions per person
2.52tonnes per person
#100 of 2032024
56% of world average
Carbon emissions
0.713Mt CO2
#36 of 2032024
0% of world average
Greenhouse gas emissions
0.912Mt CO2-equivalent
#29 of 2032024
0% of world average
Protected land
1.1%% of land area
#204 of 2132025
6% of world average
Protected coastal waters
0.0%% of territorial waters
#150 of 1742025
0% of world average
Freshwater withdrawn
87.5%% of internal resources
#157 of 1772022
69% of world average
Renewable water available per person
283m³ per person
#162 of 1832022
2% of world average
Renewable energy use
5.5%% of final energy consumption
#166 of 2122022
19% of world average
Electricity from renewables
7.3%% of total
#148 of 2062021
21% of world average
▸ ISSUE 2 MORE
Electricity from fossil fuels
92.7%% of total
#156 of 2092021
156% of world average
Electricity from nuclear power
0.0%% of total
#33 of 2082021
0% of world average
1 of 12 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— STATE —
Armed forces personnel
1,000people
#161 of 1702020
1% of world average
Armed forces
0.7%% of labour force
#95 of 1682020
55% of world average
Tax revenue
23.4%% of GDP
#26 of 1492016
139% of world average
Homicides
7.44per 100,000 people
#119 of 1582023
95% of world average
3 of 7 figures unavailable for Barbados.
— TRADE PARTNERS —
Loading trade partner map…
— TRADE —
Exports toas of 2025
- Other$122.2M
- United States$70.4M
- Jamaica$32.3M
- Trinidad and Tobago$24.9M
- Canada$20.1M
- Saint Lucia$19.9M
- Guyana$18.4M
- France$15.1M
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines$14.0M
- Argentina$12.8M
- Grenada$10.9M
- United Kingdom$8.3M
- Dominica$7.9M
- Saint Kitts and Nevis$4.4M
- The Bahamas$3.9M
Imports fromas of 2025
- United States$869.2M
- Trinidad and Tobago$355.9M
- People's Republic of China$178.2M
- Kingdom of the Netherlands$133.1M
- United Kingdom$106.7M
- Japan$73.3M
- Panama$71.4M
- Canada$57.1M
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
- Jamaica$36.0M
- Turkey$24.4M
- Spain$24.2M
- New Zealand$22.3M
- Mexico$20.5M
- Dominican Republic$19.6M
- Germany$18.4M
Trade balance, 2025-$1.87B
— EXTRAS —
Anthem
National Anthem of BarbadosAudio: Wikimedia Commons
Capital time
--:--:--Bridgetown · approx. UTC-4
Neighbours
Barbados has no land borders
Landmarks
Garrison Historic AreaImage: Wikimedia Commons
People
RihannaBarbadian singer and businesswoman
Mia Mottleyprime minister of Barbados since 2018
Sandra Mason1st president of Barbados
Freundel StuartPrime Minister of Barbados
David Thompsonsixth Prime Minister of Barbados (1961-2010)
Owen ArthurBarbadian politician (1949-2020)
ShontelleBarbadian singer and songwriter
Ryan BrathwaiteBarbadian hurdler
Obadele ThompsonBarbadian track and field sprinter
Grandmaster FlashAmerican DJ and rapper
Jeffrey BosticPresident of Barbados since 2025
Clifford HusbandsBarbadian judge (1926-2017)
History
1623Barbados founded as a sovereign state
09 Dec 1966Joined the United Nations
Size, side by side
Loading size comparison…
1960 → now
2026
Population282,6232025
GDP$8.02B2025
GDP per person$28,3652025