About Barbados
English - the sole official language.
Bajan - an English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings among the local population.
English is the sole official language of Barbados.
| Geography |
Location: Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
| People |
Population: 281,200-304,139 (varies by source; 2021-2024 est.); most densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean
Median age: 40.3-42.2 years (2025 est.)
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Barbadian(s)
Ethnic groups: African descent 92.4%, mixed 3.1%, White 2.7%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2% (2010 est.)
Religions: Protestant 66.4% (Anglican 23.9%, Pentecostal 19.5%, others), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4%, Rastafarian 1%, none 20.6% (2010 est.)
Languages: English (official), Bajan (English-based creole, widely spoken informally)
Population distribution: approximately one-third of the population lives in urban areas
| Government |
Country name:
conventional short form: Barbados; note - the name is the plural of the Spanish word barbado, meaning "the bearded ones," possibly referring to the island's fig trees or to the beards of Carib inhabitants
Data code: BB
Government type: parliamentary republic
National capital: Bridgetown
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from the UK)
Background: enslaved Africans worked sugar plantations that initially dominated the Caribbean sugar industry; by 1720 Barbados had been surpassed by the Leeward Islands and Jamaica; slavery was abolished in 1834; gradual social and political reforms in the 1940s-50s led to independence in 1966; tourism and manufacturing surpassed sugar in economic importance during the 1990s; Barbados became a republic in 2021, with former Governor-General Sandra MASON elected as its first president
| Economy |
Economy - overview: high-income, service-driven economy; tourism is the dominant sector
GDP (purchasing power parity): $6.78 billion (2025 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.0% (2025)
GDP - per capita: $23,270 PPP (2025 est.)
Inflation rate: 3.688% (2018)
Unemployment rate: 6.2-10.1% (varies by source/year)
Labor force: 155,283 (2018)
Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)
| Military |
Military branches: Barbados Defense Force (BDF), formed in 1979: responsible for national security, may also maintain internal public order during crisis, and assists with humanitarian and disaster response (2025)
| Transnational Issues |
Trafficking in persons - tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List (2025)