Rank #17 by World Population

🇧🇧Barbados

Barbados has a population of 282,336, ranking #17 in the world. The capital is Bridgetown. Located in Latin America & Caribbean .

World Bank: High income

282,336

Population

#17

World Rank

76.2

Life Expectancy

$25,584

GDP Per Capita

Barbados, #17 by world population

Barbados Population History (1960-2024)

The country of Barbados had a population of 230,893 in 1960 and 282,467 in 2024, a 22.3% growth over 64 years. The peak was 282,467 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.32%.

Barbados population, 1960–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

282,467

Population (2024)

230,893

Population (1960)

282,467

Peak (2024)

0.32%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1960	230,893	-	-	estimate
1961	233,148	+2,255	+0.98%	estimate
1962	235,224	+2,076	+0.89%	estimate
1963	237,557	+2,333	+0.99%	estimate
1964	239,958	+2,401	+1.01%	estimate
1965	242,417	+2,459	+1.02%	estimate
1966	244,996	+2,579	+1.06%	estimate
1967	247,091	+2,095	+0.86%	estimate
1968	248,540	+1,449	+0.59%	estimate
1969	249,444	+904	+0.36%	estimate
1970	249,387	-57	-0.02%	estimate
1971	249,168	-219	-0.09%	estimate
1972	249,658	+490	+0.20%	estimate
1973	250,322	+664	+0.27%	estimate
1974	250,777	+455	+0.18%	estimate
1975	251,175	+398	+0.16%	estimate
1976	251,442	+267	+0.11%	estimate
1977	251,626	+184	+0.07%	estimate
1978	251,551	-75	-0.03%	estimate
1979	251,269	-282	-0.11%	estimate
1980	251,524	+255	+0.10%	estimate
1981	252,270	+746	+0.30%	estimate
1982	253,095	+825	+0.33%	estimate
1983	253,992	+897	+0.35%	estimate
1984	254,920	+928	+0.37%	estimate
1985	255,820	+900	+0.35%	estimate
1986	256,618	+798	+0.31%	estimate
1987	257,279	+661	+0.26%	estimate
1988	257,763	+484	+0.19%	estimate
1989	258,109	+346	+0.13%	estimate
1990	258,582	+473	+0.18%	estimate
1991	259,373	+791	+0.31%	estimate
1992	260,267	+894	+0.34%	estimate
1993	261,027	+760	+0.29%	estimate
1994	261,620	+593	+0.23%	estimate
1995	262,039	+419	+0.16%	estimate
1996	262,284	+245	+0.09%	estimate
1997	262,392	+108	+0.04%	estimate
1998	262,436	+44	+0.02%	estimate
1999	262,517	+81	+0.03%	estimate
2000	262,063	-454	-0.17%	estimate
2001	262,425	+362	+0.14%	estimate
2002	264,148	+1,723	+0.66%	estimate
2003	265,776	+1,628	+0.62%	estimate
2004	267,298	+1,522	+0.57%	estimate
2005	268,706	+1,408	+0.53%	estimate
2006	270,002	+1,296	+0.48%	estimate
2007	271,288	+1,286	+0.48%	estimate
2008	272,714	+1,426	+0.53%	estimate
2009	274,123	+1,409	+0.52%	estimate
2010	275,243	+1,120	+0.41%	estimate
2011	276,139	+896	+0.33%	estimate
2012	276,938	+799	+0.29%	estimate
2013	277,665	+727	+0.26%	estimate
2014	278,348	+683	+0.25%	estimate
2015	278,990	+642	+0.23%	estimate
2016	279,598	+608	+0.22%	estimate
2017	280,171	+573	+0.20%	estimate
2018	280,711	+540	+0.19%	estimate
2019	281,207	+496	+0.18%	estimate
2020	281,698	+491	+0.17%	estimate
2021	282,147	+449	+0.16%	estimate
2022	282,318	+171	+0.06%	estimate
2023	282,336	+18	+0.01%	estimate
2024	282,467	+131	+0.05%	estimate

Demographics

Population	282,336
Population Growth Rate	0.01%
Urban Population	59.4%
Fertility Rate	1.71 births/woman
Life Expectancy	76.2 years
Infant Mortality Rate	9.4 per 1,000
Literacy Rate	-

Economy & Trade

$25,584

GDP Per Capita

6.5%

Unemployment Rate

High income

Income Level

Health & Education

5.4%

Health Expenditure (% GDP)

2.96

Physicians per 1,000

3.8%

Education Expenditure (% GDP)

9.4

Infant Mortality (per 1,000)

Development & Connectivity

100.0%

Electricity Access

69.1%

Internet Users

112

Mobile Subs per 100

656.6

People per km2

-80

Net Migration

Environment

14.7%

Forest Area

Other Countries in Latin America & Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Aruba Bahamas, The Belize

Compare Barbados

vs Afghanistan vs Albania vs Algeria vs American Samoa

Barbados in global context

Barbados is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.

World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →

Other related entities

Antigua and Barbuda (93,316)Argentina (45,538,401)Aruba (107,359)Bahamas, The (399,440)Belize (411,106)All countries →

Country rankings

Populated Countries in the World Countries With Highest GDP Per Capita Countries With Highest Life Expectancy Countries With Highest Fertility Rates Countries With Highest Literacy Rates Urbanized Countries in the World Fastest Growing Countries by Population Countries With Highest Infant Mortality Countries With Highest Income Inequality Countries With Most International Tourism All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados has a population of 282,336, ranking #17 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 0.01%.

Life expectancy in Barbados is 76.2 years. The infant mortality rate is 9.4 per 1,000 live births.

Barbados's GDP per capita is $25,584. It is classified as a high income country by the World Bank.

59.4% of Barbados's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 656.6 people per square kilometer.

Literacy data for Barbados is available from the World Bank.

Sources: World Bank Open Data

International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.

Barbados is a country in Latin America & Caribbean with a population of 282,336. Population growth is modest, around 0.0% a year.

Economically, Barbados is high-income — GDP per capita is roughly $25,584. Life expectancy is 76.2 years, with a fertility rate of 1.7 births per woman, and 59.4% of the population lives in urban areas.

Source: World Bank Open Data, 2026.