Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Barbados
Barbados: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Barbados, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Barbados recorded 0.4% for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 60.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Barbados peaked at 0.4% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2018.
That places Barbados 86th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 83 Guyana 0.4% compare
- 84 Brazil 0.4% compare
- 85 Kazakhstan 0.4% compare
- 87 Angola 0.3% compare
- 88 Trinidad and Tobago 0.3% compare
- 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.3% compare
More reference data data for Barbados
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Consumer price index 146.53 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating 1 (2025)
- Free country 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Barbados?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Barbados was 0.4% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2018.
- How does Barbados rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Barbados ranks 86th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.