Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Barbados: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCC, ranked #159 of 195).
Barbados is a parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm in Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela. The country's capital is Bridgetown; it covers 430 sq km. Independence: 30 November 1966 (from the UK). Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region. Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October). Population: 304,000 (2024 estimate). Population growth: +0.42% per year. Median age: 42.2 years. Life expectancy: 79 years (2024 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%, Methodis…
| Capital | Bridgetown |
|---|---|
| Population | 304,139 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $5.634 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $19,900 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 3.8% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 0.5% |
| Unemployment | 7.6% |
| Public debt | 133.2% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $2.228 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports | $2.12 billion (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 79 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 42.2 |
| Urbanization | 31.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | parliamentary republic; a Commonwealth realm |
| Independence | 30 November 1966 (from the UK) |
| Languages | English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings) |
MCC · 39/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
A quiet quarter: no major shocks, no breakthroughs. The country's trajectory is set by structural forces larger than any single season.
The honest reading is steadiness — neither crisis nor windfall — with the long currents of demography, trade and institutions deciding more than any three months.
Oil, Natural gas.
Mia Mottley — Prime Minister. President Jeffrey Davidson BOSTIC (since 30 November 2025)
Barbados maintains 13 embassies and 3 consulates abroad, hosts 10 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, OAS Washington. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 13 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 3 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 10 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, OAS Washington |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, diplomatic & consular networks database, Mar 2026 report (of-country ranking) https://zenodo.org/records/18917562 ; Jan 2026 report (in-country ranking) https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 97 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 1 + 1 heliports (registration prefix 8P) |
| Major seaports | Bridgetown |
| Pipelines | 33 km gas, 64 km oil, 6 km refined products (2013) |
Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) — Bridgetown.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCC · 39 Ranked #159 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Barbados.
