Culture
National symbols include Neptune's trident, pelican, red bird of paradise flower (also known as "Pride of Barbados").
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Barbados
North AmericaRegional Champion
Barbados leads North America in hospital beds. Discover what makes it the regional champion.
Barbados leads North America in hospital beds. With 5.7%, it sets the regional standard. Discover what makes it the regional champion.
13.2, -59.5 - North America
Area
430 km²
Pop.
304.1K
Stats
106
Reality brief
Barbados is a country in North America with a population of 304.1K and an area of 430 km². Life expectancy is 76.2 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
Population Density
656.6 /km²#13globally
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
CO2 Per Capita
4.8 t/person/yr#71globally
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Human Development Index
0.81#70globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Life Expectancy
76.2 years#93globally
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$24,822.53#89globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$19,945.74#91globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Barbados
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Economy
Key industries include tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export.
CIA 2026
Identity
Name origin: 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…
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Barbados
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Government Debt (% GDP)
133.2% of GDP#5globallyTop stat
Central government debt as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Spirits Consumption
4.1 L/person/yr#11globallyTop stat
Liters of spirits consumed per person per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Electricity Access (%)
100%#12globallyTop stat
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
5.7 per 1k#18globallyTop stat
The number of hospital beds available per 1,000 people.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Keeps inflation rate unusually low
#209-0.5%Inflation Rate
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
Only ranks #204 in protected land (%)
#2041.1%Protected Land (%)
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
Only ranks #216 in fertility rate
#2161.2 children/womanFertility Rate
The average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime based on current birth rates.
Only ranks #155 in smoking rate
#1557.0%Smoking Rate
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
Only ranks #161 in armed forces personnel
#1611.0KArmed Forces Personnel
Total armed forces personnel from the World Bank latest available country value.
Compared with the region
How Barbados Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Barbados
North America avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $24,822.53
- Region avg
- $38,271.63
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Barbados$24,822.53
North America$38,271.63
World$31,844.55
-22% below worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 76.2 years
- Region avg
- 75.5 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Barbados76.2 years
North America75.5 years
World73.7 years
+3% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.81
- Region avg
- 0.77
- World avg
- 0.74
Barbados0.81
North America0.77
World0.74
+9% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 80%
- Region avg
- 76.55%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Barbados80%
North America76.55%
World70.29%
+14% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Barbados
Country briefing
Barbados was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627.
Read the full Factbook note
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 & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
- Climate
- tropical; rainy season (June to October)
- Terrain
- relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, fish, natural gas
- Natural Hazards
- infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
- Size Comparison
- 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
People & Culture4 facts
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, White 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.)
- Major Cities
- 89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018)
Government & History9 facts
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm
- Capital
- Bridgetown
- Capital Coordinates
- 13 06 N, 59 37 W
- Capital Timezone
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Name Origin
- 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
- Independence
- 30 November 1966 (from the UK)
- National Symbols
- Neptune's trident, pelican, red bird of paradise flower (also known as "Pride of Barbados")
- National Anthem
- "The National Anthem of Barbados"
- UNESCO Heritage
- 1 (cultural)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- 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
- Industries
- tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
- Agricultural Products
- sugarcane, chicken, vegetables, milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, pork, coconuts, tropical fruits, pulses (2023)
- Export Partners
- USA 22%, Jamaica 17%, Trinidad & Tobago 8%, Canada 6%, Guyana 6% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- liquor, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, margarine, baked goods (2023)
- Import Partners
- USA 32%, Trinidad & Tobago 19%, Netherlands 6%, UK 6%, Guyana 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cars, plastic products, ships (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-25 for voluntary active service at the start of recruit training; 18-30 for reserves (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 91.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 7.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (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)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #5
Government Debt (% GDP)
High-Tech Exports (%)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
Unemployment Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Growth Rate
GDP (Nominal)
Inflation Rate
Lifestyle3 statsBest: #11
Environment9 statsBest: #12
Electricity Access (%)
CO2 Per Capita
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Forest Coverage (%)
Irrigated Land
50 km²#148
Renewable Energy (%)
Total CO2 Emissions
Forest Area
Protected Land (%)
Demographics12 statsBest: #13
Population Density
Death Rate
Elderly Population (%)
Median Age
Teen Birth Rate
Urban Population (%)
Dependency Ratio
Youth Population (%)
Population
Land Area
Birth Rate
Fertility Rate
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #18
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Obesity Rate
Doctors (per 1,000)
Life Expectancy
Health Spending (% GDP)
Infant Mortality
Child Mortality
Suicide Rate
Smoking Rate
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #48
Lowest Elevation
0 m#48
Coastline Length
97 km#164
Land Border Length
0 km#170
Highest Elevation
336 m#203
Infrastructure2 statsBest: #59
Merchant Fleet Size
272#59
Airports
Technology3 statsBest: #65
Education & Future4 statsBest: #70
Society & Equality1 statsBest: #89
Women in Parliament (%)
Military & Defense1 statsBest: #161
Armed Forces Personnel
Energy1 statsBest: #161
Electric Generating Capacity
320.0K kW#161
Keep exploring
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Barbados
#13 in Population Density
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Top 5% globally
656.6 /km²
Frequently Asked Questions about Barbados
What is the population of Barbados?
Barbados has a population of 304.1K, ranking #180 globally by population.
What continent is Barbados in?
Barbados is located in North America. It has an area of 430 km².
What is the life expectancy in Barbados?
Life expectancy in Barbados is 76.2 years, ranking #93 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Barbados?
Barbados's GDP per capita (PPP) is $24,822.53, ranking #89 globally.
What is Barbados known for in global statistics?
Barbados ranks particularly high in Population Density (#13), CO2 Per Capita (#71), Human Development Index (#70).
What is Barbados's Human Development Index?
Barbados has an HDI of 0.811, ranking #70 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Barbados?
Barbados has a population density of 656.6 people per km², ranking #13 globally.