Military spending in Barbados
Barbados: Military spending was 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
50.59 million constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
158th
of 172 countries
All-time high
51.19 million constant 2022 US$
in 2019
All-time low
1.49 million constant 2022 US$
in 1972
Years of data
55
1966–2020
Military spending in Barbados, 1966–2020
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2020, military spending in Barbados stood at 50.59 million constant 2022 US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 42.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Barbados peaked at 51.19 million constant 2022 US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.49 million constant 2022 US$, in 1972.
Barbados ranks 158th of 172 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Barbados, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 3.50 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1967 | 3.31 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.4% |
| 1968 | 3.12 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1969 | 2.77 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.3% |
| 1970 | 2.56 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.3% |
| 1971 | 2.29 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.9% |
| 1972 | 1.49 million constant 2022 US$ | -34.6% |
| 1973 | 3.97 million constant 2022 US$ | +165.9% |
| 1974 | 4.13 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 3.81 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.9% |
| 1976 | 3.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 3.64 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 4.25 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.7% |
| 1979 | 8.74 million constant 2022 US$ | +105.4% |
| 1980 | 22.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +155.5% |
| 1981 | 23.67 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 21.80 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.9% |
| 1983 | 21.72 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 22.25 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 21.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 19.14 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.5% |
| 1987 | 18.26 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 19.99 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 20.04 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 21.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.8% |
| 1991 | 20.43 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.3% |
| 1992 | 19.23 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1993 | 20.34 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 20.95 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 21.45 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 20.04 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1997 | 20.33 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 20.26 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 19.31 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 19.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 20.23 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 20.69 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 24.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.3% |
| 2004 | 27.86 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.9% |
| 2005 | 32.30 million constant 2022 US$ | +15.9% |
| 2006 | 33.39 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 35.79 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 35.28 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 36.28 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 35.40 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 37.90 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 39.21 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 37.63 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 39.42 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 41.21 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 42.77 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 46.53 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.8% |
| 2018 | 48.39 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 51.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is 6.50 billion constant 2022 US$, 1% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 509.92 million constant 2022 US$, 10% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Barbados changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +165.9% | 1.49 million constant 2022 US$ | 3.97 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1980 | +155.5% | 8.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 22.32 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1979 | +105.4% | 4.25 million constant 2022 US$ | 8.74 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.17 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.77 million constant 2022 US$ | 3.50 million constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
| 1970s | 3.85 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.49 million constant 2022 US$ | 8.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.08 million constant 2022 US$ | 18.26 million constant 2022 US$ | 23.67 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.41 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.23 million constant 2022 US$ | 21.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.56 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 36.28 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.96 million constant 2022 US$ | 35.40 million constant 2022 US$ | 51.19 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ | 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ | 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 155 Central African Republic 62.88 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 156 Suriname 60.49 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 157 East Timor 57.24 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 159 Lesotho 44.77 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 160 Liberia 39.49 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 161 Belize 32.73 million constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Barbados
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0268 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0217 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0558 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0558 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.118 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2758 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Barbados?
- Military spending in Barbados was 50.59 million constant 2022 US$ in 2020, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 51.19 million constant 2022 US$ in 2019.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.49 million constant 2022 US$ in 1972.
- How does Barbados rank for military spending?
- Barbados ranks 158th out of 172 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.