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Aruba vs Barbados
Side-by-side comparison of Aruba and Barbados from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Barbados
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 403 years
In short
Barbados has 2.6 times the population of Aruba. Barbados is 2.4 times larger than Aruba by land area. The economy of Barbados is 31% larger than that of Aruba (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Aruba 108,785 and Barbados 282,623 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $51,712 in Aruba and $25,894 in Barbados (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 76.5 and 76.3 years.
Of 19 indicators reported by both countries, Aruba ranks higher in the world on 13 and Barbados on 6. Aruba is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and economy. Barbados is clearly stronger in environment & energy and main industries.
As a nation, Barbados is the older of the two (statehood since 1623, 403 years), compared with Aruba (since 1986).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Aruba and Barbados.
Arubabetter
6.8%
22nd of 210
Barbados
2.7%
127th of 210
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Aruba
14.1%
132nd of 150
Barbadosbetter
50.8%
78th of 150
High-tech exportsTrade
Aruba
6.9%
84th of 168
Barbadosbetter
19.9%
32nd of 168
Fixed broadbandInfrastructure & digital
Aruba
17.5
94th of 208
Barbadosbetter
37.5
35th of 208
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Aruba
5.15
153rd of 203
Barbadosbetter
2.52
100th of 203
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Aruba overtook Barbados in life expectancy in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Aruba overtook Barbados in the NationsTree Index in 2017 and has stayed ahead since.
Aruba has been ahead of Barbados in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Barbados has been ahead of Aruba in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
ArubaBarbados All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Aruba | Barbados |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 180206th/216 · 2024 | 431195th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 180205th/216 · 2024 | 431194th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 108,785191st/217 · 2025 | 282,623179th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.73%119th/217 · 2025 | 0.06%167th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 600.016th/216 · 2024 | 655.414th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 61.7%121st/217 · 2025 | 59.7%126th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 16.5%160th/217 · 2025 | 17.1%153rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.8%52nd/217 · 2025 | 17.1%56th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $4.17 bn173rd/210 · 2024 | $8.02 bn159th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $5.58 bn173rd/199 · 2024 | $7.32 bn166th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $4.91 bn173rd/199 · 2024 | $6.25 bn166th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $38,59144th/210 · 2024 | $28,36561st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $51,71250th/199 · 2024 | $25,89489th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $35,20043rd/201 · 2024 | $27,08053rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 6.8%22nd/210 · 2024 | 2.7%127th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.3%2019 | 0.8%31st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | — | 6.5%119th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 125.0%2016 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 64.8%125th/189 · 2025 | 96.2%162nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.0%10th/192 · 2025 | -0.2%40th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.0%194th/197 · 2023 | 1.6%156th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.8%180th/200 · 2023 | 12.2%172nd/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 2.4%174th/192 · 2023 | 4.9%153rd/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 76.3%15th/200 · 2023 | 75.8%17th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $3.58 bn142nd/182 · 2024 | — |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $3.26 bn150th/182 · 2024 | — |
| Exports % of GDP | 86.0%14th/183 · 2024 | — |
| Imports % of GDP | 78.2%22nd/183 · 2024 | — |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 164.1%15th/183 · 2024 | — |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%138th/170 · 2023 | 4.8%76th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 21.9%104th/171 · 2023 | 41.2%73rd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 67.3%17th/171 · 2023 | 43.7%36th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 6.8%53rd/171 · 2023 | 8.5%43rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 6.9%84th/168 · 2023 | 19.9%32nd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 11.6%20th/191 · 2025 | -5.9%149th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.5%84th/196 · 2024 | 3.4%64th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%181st/209 · 2021 | 0.3%142nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.31%61st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%86th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%167th/209 · 2021 | 0.01%152nd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 11.1%95th/206 · 2024 | 16.2%67th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | — | 283162nd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 2.0 m69th/194 · 2019 | 966,00099th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.08 bn68th/175 · 2020 | $1.07 bn70th/175 · 2016 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 74.6%7th/168 · 2020 | 44.4%19th/168 · 2016 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 76.592nd/217 · 2024 | 76.396th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | — | 9.874th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.121995 | 2.9660th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | — | 6.413th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | — | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 88.8%53rd/153 · 2023 | 78.1%2000 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 124.4%12th/173 · 2024 | 104.4%43rd/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 27.0%53rd/217 · 2025 | 25.9%56th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | — | 5.4%121st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 96.8%2010 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 14.1%132nd/150 · 2024 | 50.8%78th/150 · 2025 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | — | 0.81169th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 34.12016 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 1.7%2016 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 97.2%2017 | 70.4%122nd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13157th/210 · 2022 | 115107th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 17.594th/208 · 2022 | 37.535th/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 274,2802018 | 01991 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 5.15153rd/203 · 2024 | 2.52100th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 8.8%153rd/212 · 2022 | 5.5%166th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | — | 10.953rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 2.7%188th/214 · 2024 | 14.6%144th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | — | 1,4782007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 70.943rd/205 · 2025 | 64.960th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 65.643rd/207 · 2025 | 72.826th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 78.828th/207 · 2025 | 70.551st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 87.818th/207 · 2025 | 88.017th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.336th/205 · 2025 | 62.363rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 78.229th/205 · 2025 | 77.633rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.92014 | 7.4110th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Armed forces personnel people | — | 1,000161st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | — | 0.69%95th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 10.0 m2009 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 18.0 m1996 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | 12002 | 1126th/137 · 2022 |
| Scientific articles articles | — | 57150th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Aruba or Barbados?
Barbados has the larger population: 282,623 (2025) compared with 108,785 for Aruba (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Aruba or Barbados?
Barbados is larger: 431 km² (2024) compared with 180 km² for Aruba (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Aruba or Barbados?
Barbados has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $7.32 bn intl. (2025) compared with $5.58 bn intl. for Aruba (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Aruba or Barbados?
Aruba has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $51,712 intl. (2024) compared with $25,894 intl. for Barbados (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Aruba or Barbados?
Aruba has the higher life expectancy at birth: 76.5 years (2024) compared with 76.3 years for Barbados (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Belize
Cayman Islands
Curaçao
Saint Lucia
US Virgin Islands
Bahamas
SurinameSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Aruba vs Barbados — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/aruba-vs-barbados. Data as of 26 October 2026.