Map of Barbados | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. African slaves 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 complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Barbados became a republic on 30 November 2021, with the former Governor-General Sandra MASON elected as the first president. Barbados plans to create a new constitution in 2022.


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Location: Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 430 km²
Land: 430 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 97 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation
Highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use
Agricultural land: 32.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 25.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 4.7% (2018 est.)
Forest: 19.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 48% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 50 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 5 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Geography
Note: easternmost Caribbean island


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Population
Distribution: most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas: 303,431 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.24% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
Adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups: African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, White 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2010 est.)

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.78% (male 25,456/female 25,465)
15-64 years: 67.56% (male 100,884/female 104,114)
65 years and over: 15.66% (2023 est.) (male 19,967/female 27,545)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 49
Youth dependency ratio: 25.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 23.4
Potential support ratio: 4.3 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 41 years (2023 est.)
Male: 39.9 years
Female: 42.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.24% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 31.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 89,000 BRIDGETOWN (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
International 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
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 9.79 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.28 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 2.35 megatons (2020 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
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.8 years (2023 est.)
Male: 76 years
Female: 81.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 59.2% (2012)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 98.8% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 2% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.2% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 9.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 3.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 8.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 15% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.9% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.6%
Male: 99.6%
Female: 99.6% (2014)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 30.6% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 34.8%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 25.6%


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Barbados
Etymology: the name derives from the Portuguese "as barbadas," which means "the bearded ones" and can refer either to the long, hanging roots of the island's bearded fig trees or to the alleged beards of the native Carib inhabitants

Government type: parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
Name: Bridgetown
Geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named after a bridge constructed over the swampy area (known as the Careenage) around the Constitution River that flows through the center of Bridgetown

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 30 November 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

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
Amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 2021
Note: following the transition to a republic in November 2021, the Government of Barbados in February 2022 began the process of establishing a constitution commission to review a new draft constitution

Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Sandra MASON (since 30 November 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 25 May 2018)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Elections/appointments: president elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament for a 4-year renewable term; election last held on 20 October 2021; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Election results: Sandra MASON elected as first president on 20 October 2021

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:
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

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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; note - in 2005, Barbados acceded to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal, replacing that of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
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
Subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP, 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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Noel Anderson LYNCH (since 11 January 2019)
In the us chancery: 2,144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-9,200
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 332-7,467
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Linda S. TAGLIALATELA (since 1 February 2016) note - also accredited to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
From the us embassy: Wildey Business Park, St. Michael BB 14,006, Barbados, W.I.
From the us mailing address: 3,120 Bridgetown Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,120
From the us telephone: (246) 227-4,000
From the us FAX: (246) 431-0179
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of ultramarine blue (hoist side), gold, and ultramarine blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the band colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

National symbols: Neptune's trident, pelican, Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados); national colors: blue, yellow, black

National anthem
Name: "The National Anthem of Barbados"
Lyrics/music: Irving BURGIE/C. Van Roland EDWARDS
Note: adopted 1966; the anthem is also known as "In Plenty and In Time of Need"

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview: largest Eastern Caribbean economy; dependent on US imports and currency strength; high Human Development Index; key tourism and financial sectors; declining but still very high public debt; cost-of-living and cost competitiveness vulnerabilities

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 84.2% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 13.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 31.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -47% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 9.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 88.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar cane, poultry, vegetables, milk, eggs, pork, coconuts, pulses, sweet potatoes, tropical fruit

Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 139,100 (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 30.6% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 34.8%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 25.6%

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.271 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $1.483 billion (2020 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 27.48% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: United States 20%, Jamaica 12%, Guyana 8%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, Italy 6% (2021)
Commodities: rums and liquors, ships, packaged medicines, cement, paper labels (2021)

Imports:
Partners: United States 33%, Guyana 13%, China 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 6%, United Kingdom 4% (2021)
Commodities: refined petroleum, crude petroleum, shipping containers, cars, ships, packaged medicines (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:
Note: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to the US dollar


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 311,000 kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 1 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 20 million kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 95.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 10,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 700 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 2 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 10,630 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 14.923 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Consumption: 20.954 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 6.031 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Proven reserves: 113 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.703 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.662 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 41,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 83.723 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 121,314 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 316,633 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: government-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates the lone terrestrial TV station; CBC also operates a multi-channel cable TV subscription service; roughly a dozen radio stations, consisting of a CBC-operated network operating alongside privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .bb
Users total: 240,800 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 86% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 128,000 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces: Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2023)
Note 1: the BDF also has a Youth Development Wing, which is comprised of the Barbados Cadet Corps and the Barbados Defense Force Sports Program
Note 2: authority over the BDF is shared between the president and prime minister, with the president overseeing strategic direction and the prime minister responsible for operational leadership
Note 3: the Barbados Police Service (TBPS) is the national police force; it is modeled after London's Metropolitan Police Service and divided into three territorial divisions

Military service age and obligation: voluntary service only (men and women); 17 years, 9 months to 17 years, 11 months with letter of consent from a parent or guardian, or be in the age range of 18-25 years (18-30 for the Reserves) at the start of recruit training; citizens of Barbados by descent or naturalization (2023)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8P

Airports: 1 (2021)
With paved runways: 1
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Heliports

Pipelines: 33 km gas, 64 km oil, 6 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 1,700 km (2015)
Paved: 1,700 km (2015)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 195 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 61, general cargo 114, other 20

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Bridgetown


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Disputes international:

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for cocaine and marijuana destined for North America, Europe, and elsewhere in the Caribbean; some local demand for cocaine and some use of synthetic drugs