Barbados
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
Barbados⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Barbados was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Enslaved Africans worked the sugar plantations established on the island, which initially dominated the Caribbean sugar industry. By 1720, Barbados was no longer a dominant force within the sugar industry, having been surpassed by the Leeward Islands and Jamaica. Slavery was abolished in 1834. The Barbadian economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Barbados became a republic in 2021, with the former Governor-General Sandra MASON elected as the first president.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 430 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 430 sq km
- Climate
- tropical; rainy season (June to October)
- Terrain
- relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Land Use
- Other
- 62.1% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 14.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 23.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 16.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 4.7% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
- Coastline
- 97 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Mount Hillaby 336 m
- Irrigated land
- 50 sq km (2012)
- Map references
- Central America and the Caribbean
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
- Geography note
- easternmost Caribbean island
- Natural resources
- petroleum, fish, natural gas
- Area comparative
- 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 13 10 N, 59 32 W
- Population distribution
- most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one third of the population lives in urban areas
People & Society
- Languages
- English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings)
- Religions
- Protestant 66.4% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.73 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 8.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 40.3 years
- Total
- 42.2 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 42.5 years
Population
- Male
- 146,587
- Total
- 304,139 (2024 est.)
- Female
- 157,552
Nationality
- Noun
- Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
- Adjective
- Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 11.4% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 6.2% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1.5% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 31.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 16.6% (male 25,273/female 25,284)
- 15 64 years
- 67% (male 100,328/female 103,536)
- 65 years and over
- 16.3% (2024 est.) (male 20,986/female 28,732)
- Ethnic groups
- African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, White 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 49.2 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 24.8 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 4.1 (2024 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 24.4 (2024 est.)
- Physician density
- 2.96 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 8.1% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 8.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.24 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: total
- total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 3.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 14.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- -0.42% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.62 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one third of the population lives in urban areas
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 76.3 years
- Female
- 81.8 years
- Total population
- 79 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 3.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 9.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 23.1% (2016)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 57.2% (2021 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal vertical bands of ultramarine blue (left side), gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered on the gold band
meaning: blue stands for the sea and sky, and gold for the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past
Capital
- Name
- Bridgetown
- Etymology
- originally named Indian Bridge in 1628 for a bridge built beside Carlisle Bay, then called St. Michael's Town until the 19th century; now named after a bridge built over the Constitution River that flows through the center of the city
- Time difference
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 13 06 N, 59 37 W
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- yes
- Citizenship BY descent only
- yes
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966; Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 establishes Barbados as a republic and revokes the earlier Order in Council
- Amendment process
- proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments to constitutional sections such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the organization and authorities of the branches of government requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament; passage of other amendments only requires a majority vote of both houses
Country Name
- Etymology
- the name is the plural of the Spanish word barbado and means "the bearded ones," which could refer either to the beard-like leaves of the island's fig trees or to the beards of Carib inhabitants
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Barbados
- Independence
- 30 November 1966 (from the UK)
- Legal system
- English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts
- Government type
- parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court (consists of the High Court with 8 justices) and the Court of Appeal (consists of the High Court chief justice and president of the court and 4 justices; Caribbean Court of Justice is the final court of appeal
- Subordinate courts
- Magistrates' Courts
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister and opposition leader of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 5-member independent body consisting of the Supreme Court chief justice, the commission head, and presidential appointees recommended by the prime minister; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 65
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
- Chief of state
- President Jeffrey Davidson BOSTIC (since 30 November 2025)
- Election results
- Jeffrey Davidson BOSTIC elected as the country's second president
- Head of government
- Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 25 May 2018)
- Most recent election date
- 7 October 2025
- Election/appointment process
- president elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament for a 4-year renewable term; following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition as prime minister; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
- Expected date of next election
- NA
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
- National color(s)
- blue, yellow, black
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison
- Political parties
- Alliance Party for Progress or APP
Barbados Labor Party or BLP
Democratic Labor Party or DLP
Legislative Branch
- Note
- note: tradition dictates that the next election is held within 5 years of the last election, but constitutionally it is 5 years from the first seating of Parliament plus a 90-day grace period
- Legislature name
- Parlement de Barbade (Parliament of Barbados)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "The National Anthem of Barbados"
- History
- adopted 1966
- Lyrics/music
- Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS
- National symbol(s)
- Neptune's trident, pelican, red bird of paradise flower (also known as "Pride of Barbados")
- Administrative divisions
- 11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- House of Assembly
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 30 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 1/19/2022
- Expected date of next election
- January 2027
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 26.7%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Barbados Labour Party (BLP) (30)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Senate
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 21 (all appointed)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 2/4/2022
- Expected date of next election
- February 2027
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 33.3%
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 332-7467
- Chancery
- 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 939-9200
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Victor Anthony FERNANDES (since 18 September 2024)
- Consulate(s) general
- Miami, New York
- Email address and website
washington@foreign.gov.bb
https://www.foreign.gov.bb/embassies-high-commissions-and-permanent-missions/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- (246) 431-0179
- Embassy
- Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14006, Barbados, W.I.
- Telephone
- (246) 227-4000
- Mailing address
- 3120 Bridgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3120
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Karin B. SULLIVAN (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Email address and website
bridgetownpublicaffairs@state.gov
https://bb.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
BARBADOS · LOWER HOUSE
House of Assembly
31 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
31
Majority line
17
Largest party
Barbados Labour Party (BLP)
Parties
1
All political parties
Upper house
BARBADOS · UPPER HOUSE
Senate
21 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
21
Majority line
12
Largest party
Democratic Labour Party
Parties
2
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Sandra Mason
- Head of State
Mia Mottley
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $1.269 billion (2015 est.)
- Expenditures
- $1.664 billion (2015 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $2.358 billion (2015 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2015
- $2.358 billion (2015 est.)
- Exports 2016
- $2.41 billion (2016 est.)
- Exports 2017
- $2.228 billion (2017 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $2.238 billion (2016 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2016
- $2.238 billion (2016 est.)
- Imports 2017
- $2.213 billion (2017 est.)
- Imports 2021
- $2.12 billion (2021 est.)
- Industries
- tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
- Labor force
- 147,200 (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 125.1%
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2016
- 133.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Note
- note: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar
- Currency
- Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 2 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 2 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 2 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 2 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 2 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 6.5%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 8.4% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 7.9% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 7.6% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 22%, Jamaica 17%, Trinidad & Tobago 8%, Canada 6%, Guyana 6% (2023)
- Imports partners
- USA 32%, Trinidad & Tobago 19%, Netherlands 6%, UK 6%, Guyana 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $24,823
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $18,500 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $19,200 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $19,900 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.5%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 17.8% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 4.1% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 3.8% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- sugarcane, chicken, vegetables, milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, pork, coconuts, tropical fruits, pulses (2023)
- Exports commodities
- liquor, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, margarine, baked goods (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, plastic products, ships (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$296.4M
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2015
- -$98.732 million (2015 est.)
- Current account balance 2016
- -$452.39 million (2016 est.)
- Current account balance 2017
- -$296.396 million (2017 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 24.9% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $7.165 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 75.6% (2022 est.)
- Government consumption
- 11.8% (2022 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0.2% (2022 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 16.5% (2022 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 34.3% (2022 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -42.2% (2022 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.4%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
- 4.1% (2019 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 9.8% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- -0.5% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -1.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5.634 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $5.214 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $5.428 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $5.634 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 27.5% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 23.7% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 19.6% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
- $1.673 billion (2021 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $1.52 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $1.606 billion (2023 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 13.2% (2023 est.)
- Services
- 75.4% (2023 est.)
- Agriculture
- 1.9% (2023 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 2.5% (2016 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 25.8% (2016 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2016
- 34.1 (2016 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 4 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 57 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 1.978 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 1.025 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 320,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 64.586 million kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Imports
- 24.636 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 7.957 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 32.593 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 113.267 million cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 68.293 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 91.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 80% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial TV station; CBC also has a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen CBC-operated radio stations operate alongside privately owned radio stations (2019)
- Internet country code
- .bb
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 121,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 43 (2022 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 323,482 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 115 (2022 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 106,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 37 (2022 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 1
- Medium
- 0
- Key ports
- Bridgetown
- Very small
- 0
- Total ports
- 1 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 1
- Airports
- 1 (2025)
- Heliports
- 1 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 272 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 90, general cargo 149, oil tanker 5, other 28
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- 8P
Environment
- Climate
- tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Land Use
- Other
- 62.1% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 14.7% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 23.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 16.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 31.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 174,800 tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 10.6% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid-waste disposal
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 54.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 1.348 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 64,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 1.284 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 9.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 80 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- formed in 1979, the Barbados Defense Force (BDF) is responsible for protecting national security, but it may also be called up to maintain internal public order in times of crisis, emergency, or other specific needs, such as special joint patrols with the police; it also provides humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations both domestically and regionally; other duties include assisting with national development, such as through the training of the country's youth with the units of the Barbados Cadet Corps
Barbados has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security; the RSS is headquartered in Barbados (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military expenditures 2020
- 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2025)
- Military service age and obligation
- 18-25 for voluntary active service at the start of recruit training; 18-30 for reserves (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the BDF's major equipment inventory is comprised mostly of donated items from China, the Netherlands, and the US (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 600 active BDF personnel (2025)
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in Persons
- Tier rating
- Tier 2 Watch List — Barbados did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/barbados/
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Refugees
- 13 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index74.0 / 100as of 2024-Q435 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.67as of 2024-Q434 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusFree (100/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Barbados — vintage 2026-Q1: Barbados factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/barbados
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata