Barbados
Americas Β· Capital: Bridgetown
How it is run: Barbados is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Barbados is home to 282,623 people in Caribbean, where people speak English.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
282,623 people
That is about 35 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
430 kmΒ²
Smaller than most big cities β you could cross it in an afternoon.
ποΈ How crowded
About 657 people share every square kilometre β very crowded, so cities grow upward with apartments.
π Size in its region
30th most people in Americas
40th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
English
π° Money
Barbadian dollar ($)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
76.3 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$28,365
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
59.7% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
17.1% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+1246
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bb
π§ People here are called
Barbadian
π·οΈ Name at home
Barbados
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Barbados has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Barbados
French
Barbade
Arabic
Ψ¨Ψ§Ψ±Ψ¨Ψ§Ψ―ΩΨ³
Chinese
ε·΄ε·΄ε€ζ―
Japanese
γγ«γγγΉ
Russian
ΠΠ°ΡΠ±Π°Π΄ΠΎΡ
Portuguese
Barbados
German
Barbados
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 1209.3Γ as many people as Barbados.
- All of Barbados would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
- If everyone in Barbados lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 141 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Barbados shares its part of the world with Saint Martin. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
π·οΈ Official name
Barbados
ποΈ Capital
Bridgetown
π Region
Americas Β· Caribbean
π€ Country code
BB
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Barbados π
π§ Where on the map
13.2Β° N, 59.5Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-4 β when it is noon in London it is about 08:00 in Bridgetown.
- Barbados is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- π§π§ is the flag of Barbados. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BB.
- Barbados is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Barbados shares its part of the world with Saint Martin. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Barbados has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Barbados can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Barbados spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Barbados?
Bridgetown
Which money do people spend in Barbados?
Barbadian dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Barbados?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Barbados?
282,623 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.