Barbados

Latin America & Caribbean·High income

Population: 282K; 179th of 217
GDP: $7.17B; 164th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $25,366; 60th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 76.2; 95th of 217
Human development: 0.79; 69th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Barbados

Uruguay

Antigua and Barbuda

St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Martin (French part)

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

high-income Eastern Caribbean economy; high standard of living among regional peers; key tourism, construction, and financial sectors driving recent GDP growth; declining but still very high public debt leading to IMF support programs; susceptible to natural disasters and reliance on import partners

Area: 430 km²
Languages: English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal…
Resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian77.3%▲ 0.8pt
Unaffiliated20.1%▼ 0.7pt
Other1.2%
Muslim0.7%

Religious diversity: 4.21 / 10 · moderate · 73rd of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

BRB

URY

ATG

KNA

GDP

current US$

$7.17B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$225M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

36.5%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

1.9%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

13.2%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

282K–––

Population density

people per km²

656.6–––

Urban population

% of total

31.4%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.7–––

Net migration

people

-70–––

Population under 15

% of total

17.2%–––

Population 65+

% of total

16.6%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

6.3%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

4%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

20K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

3,895.9–––

Electricity generation

TWh

1.1–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

4.21–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

20.1%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#164/214

$7.17B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#60/214

$25,3662024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#91/203

$21,336latest

GDP growth

annual %

#82/214

3.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#56/207

$23,6602024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#66/213

2.7%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#136/201

$225M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#156/205

36.5%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#157/206

1.9%2023

Industry value added

% of GDP

#172/208

13.2%2023

Unemployment

% of labor force

#131/187

7.9%latest

Gini index

0–100

#71/168

34.1latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#74/168

1.7%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#179/217

282Klatest

Population density

people per km²

#14/216

656.6latest

Urban population

% of total

#186/215

31.4%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#95/217

76.2latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#130/217

1.7latest

Net migration

people

#96/217

-702024

Population under 15

% of total

#154/217

17.2%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#57/217

16.6%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#78/196

9.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#74/196

10latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#102/192

6.3%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#58/195

3latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#106/199

4%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#53/194

65%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#106/210

80%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#104/214

114.62022

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#30/208

37.52022

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#105/215

1,171.82024

Access to electricity

% of population

#13/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#76/198

20K2023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#77/202

3,895.92023

Electricity generation

TWh

#151/202

1.12023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#157/202

8.2%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#158/202

91.8%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#43/204

1.42024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#140/204

4.82024

Share of global CO₂

#157/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#93/193

52023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#38/172

0.7822022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#36/172

0.6662022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#27/178

652022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#23/193

1.282022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#58/193

0.4292022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#69/193

0.3592022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#13/193

1.152022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#32/172

0.9072022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#73/193

4.212020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#37/193

20.1%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#69/189

0.792021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#64/170

0.2682021

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.