Barbados
Barbados leads North America in hospital beds. With 5.7%, it sets the regional standard. Discover what makes it the regional champion.
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.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Population Density
656.595How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
CO2 Per Capita
4.83How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
Human Development Index
0.81The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Life Expectancy
76.2 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
24.8KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$19.9KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
💰Government Debt (% GDP)
133.2%How much money the central government owes as a percentage of GDP.
🍻Spirits Consumption
4.12How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
🌱Electricity Access (%)
100.0%The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
👥Population Density
656.595How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
❤️Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
5.70The number of hospital beds available per 1,000 people.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Has one of the highest rates of inflation rate
Inflation Rate: -0.5%
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
World Bank 2023Ranks #11 globally in spirits consumption
Spirits Consumption: 4.12
How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
Our World in Data 2023Ranks #12 globally in electricity access (%)
Electricity Access (%): 100.0%
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #204 in protected land (%)
Protected Land (%): 1.1%
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #216 in fertility rate
Fertility Rate: 1.24
The average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime based on current birth rates.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Barbados Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Barbados
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.
- 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.
- 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 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)
- 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)
- 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)
Deep Dive
61 of 72 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Neighboring Countries
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Martinique
GrenadaCountries with Similar GDP
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Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Bahamas
Belize
BermudaShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Barbados!
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Frequently Asked Questions about Barbados
Barbados has a population of 304.1K, ranking #180 globally by population.
Barbados is located in North America. It has an area of 430 km².
Life expectancy in Barbados is 76.2 years, ranking #93 globally.
Barbados's GDP per capita (PPP) is 24.8K, ranking #89 globally.
Barbados ranks particularly high in Population Density (#13), CO2 Per Capita (#71), Human Development Index (#70).
Barbados has an HDI of 0.811, ranking #70 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Barbados has a population density of 656.6 people per km², ranking #13 globally.
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