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.

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
Country comparison total: 0 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 19.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 48% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 50 km² (2012)

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 m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Geography
Note: easternmost Caribbean island

Population
Distribution: most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one-third live in urban areas
Total: 304,139
Male: 146,587
Female: 157,552 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.23% (2024 est.)

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.)

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)

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: 41.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.3 years
Female: 42.5 years

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79 years (2024 est.)
Male: 76.3 years
Female: 81.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 59.2% (2012)

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

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

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

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.)

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)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 24.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 28.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 20.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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 indigenous 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

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 (next to be held by January 2,027); 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: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (21 seats statutory - 21 current; members appointed by the president - 12 on the advice of the prime minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at the discretion of the president; members serve 5-year terms), House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last appointments on 4 February 2022 (next appointments in February 2,027), House of Assembly - last held on 19 January 2022 (next to be held in January 2,027)
Elections results: Senate - appointed - BLP 12, independent 9; composition - men 13, women 8, percentage women 38.1%, House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - BLP 69%, DLP 26.5%, other 4.5%; seats by party - BLP 30; composition - men 22, women 8, percentage women 26.7%
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: Alliance Party for Progress or APP, Barbados Labor Party or BLP, Democratic Labor Party or DLP

International organization participation: 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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor Anthony FERNANDES (since 18 September 2024)
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: washington@foreign.gov.bb; [link]
In the us consulates general: Miami, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Roger F. NYHUS (since 19 January 2024)
From the us 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: bridgetownpublicaffairs@state.gov; [link]

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:

Economy 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

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.92 billion (2023 est.); $4.708 billion (2022 est.); $4.148 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 4.52% (2023 est.); 13.48% (2022 est.); -1.18% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $17,400 (2023 est.); $16,700 (2022 est.); $14,800 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 75.6% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 11.8% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 34.3% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.2% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Industry: 13.1% (2023 est.)
Services: 72.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, chicken, vegetables, milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, pork, coconuts, cantaloupes/melons, tropical fruits (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.64% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 146,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 7.95% (2023 est.); 8.49% (2022 est.); 9.42% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 24.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 28.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 20.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $1.269 billion (2015 est.)
Expenditures: $1.664 billion (2015 est.)
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

Taxes and other revenues: 27.39% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 146.46% of GDP (2016 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

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

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.79% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2019 est.); 3.67% (2018 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance: -$296.396 million (2017 est.); -$452.39 million (2016 est.); -$98.732 million (2015 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $2.228 billion (2017 est.); $2.41 billion (2016 est.); $2.358 billion (2015 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 23%, Jamaica 11%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, Guyana 8%, Poland 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: liquor, packaged medicine, ships, paper labels, baked goods (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $2.12 billion (2021 est.); $2.213 billion (2017 est.); $2.238 billion (2016 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 43%, China 8%, Trinidad and Tobago 7%, UK 5%, Netherlands 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, plastic products, cars, railway cargo containers, packaged medicine (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.52 billion (2022 est.); $1.673 billion (2021 est.); $1.358 billion (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 340,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.02 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 65.871 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 92.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 1.978 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 9.759 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 15.813 million m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 6.054 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 113.267 million m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.347 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.316 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 31,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 68.271 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 121,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 323,000 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.)

Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2024)
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; the Barbados Cadet Corps is a national youth organization based in the country's school system and open to all school children 11-18 years of age
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 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8P

Airports: 2 (2024)

Heliports: 1 (2024)

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

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

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