EnglishEnglish
中文Chinese (Simplified)
EspañolSpanish
हिन्दीHindi
العربيةArabic
FrançaisFrench
PortuguêsPortuguese
РусскийRussian
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
United States
Poland
Maldives
Iraq ↑ 54
Austria vs Czechia
Barbados vs Cayman Islands
Side-by-side comparison of Barbados and Cayman Islands 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 3.7 times the population of Cayman Islands. Barbados has 63% more land area than Cayman Islands. Barbados and Cayman Islands have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Barbados 282,623 and Cayman Islands 75,844 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $92,201 in Cayman Islands and $25,894 in Barbados (2025, international dollars). People in Cayman Islands live on average 4.2 years longer (80.5 vs 76.3 years).
Of 17 indicators reported by both countries, Barbados ranks higher in the world on 4 and Cayman Islands on 13. Barbados is clearly stronger in natural resources, society & health and environment & energy. Cayman Islands is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital and economy.
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Barbados and Cayman Islands.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Barbados overtook Cayman Islands in GDP (PPP) in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Cayman Islands overtook Barbados in life expectancy in 2008 and has stayed ahead since.
Cayman Islands has been ahead of Barbados in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 2006.
Barbados has been ahead of Cayman Islands in 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
BarbadosCayman Islands 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 | Barbados | Cayman Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 431195th/216 · 2024 | 264201st/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 431194th/216 · 2024 | 240201st/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 282,623179th/217 · 2025 | 75,844198th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.06%167th/217 · 2025 | 1.85%57th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 655.414th/216 · 2024 | 310.239th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 59.7%126th/217 · 2025 | 100.0%1st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.1%153rd/217 · 2025 | 16.1%164th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.1%56th/217 · 2025 | 9.5%103rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $8.02 bn159th/210 · 2025 | $7.77 bn160th/210 · 2024 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $7.32 bn166th/199 · 2025 | $6.87 bn168th/199 · 2024 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $6.25 bn166th/199 · 2025 | $6.03 bn168th/199 · 2024 |
| GDP per person USD | $28,36561st/210 · 2025 | $104,2937th/210 · 2024 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $25,89489th/199 · 2025 | $92,20111th/199 · 2024 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $27,08053rd/201 · 2025 | $81,9209th/201 · 2024 |
| GDP growth % | 2.7%127th/210 · 2025 | 3.8%87th/210 · 2024 |
| Inflation % | 0.8%31st/180 · 2025 | -0.6%2016 |
| Unemployment % | 6.5%119th/187 · 2025 | — |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 125.0%2016 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 96.2%162nd/189 · 2025 | — |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.2%40th/192 · 2025 | — |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.6%156th/197 · 2024 | 0.5%185th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 12.2%172nd/200 · 2024 | 7.6%192nd/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.9%153rd/192 · 2024 | 0.9%185th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 75.8%17th/200 · 2024 | 86.5%8th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | — | $3.37 bn2020 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | — | $2.59 bn2020 |
| Exports % of GDP | — | 59.6%2020 |
| Imports % of GDP | — | 45.8%2020 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | — | 105.5%2020 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 4.8%76th/170 · 2025 | 52.3%24th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 41.2%73rd/171 · 2025 | 26.0%97th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 43.7%36th/171 · 2025 | 3.8%144th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 8.5%43rd/171 · 2025 | 3.8%73rd/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 19.9%32nd/168 · 2024 | 85.5%1st/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -5.9%149th/191 · 2025 | — |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.4%64th/196 · 2025 | 40.9%3rd/196 · 2024 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%142nd/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.31%61st/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%86th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/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 | 0.01%152nd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 16.2%67th/206 · 2024 | 0.8%184th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 283162nd/183 · 2022 | — |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 966,00099th/194 · 2019 | 660,000112th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.07 bn70th/175 · 2016 | $964.0 m77th/175 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 44.4%19th/168 · 2016 | 22.9%31st/168 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 76.396th/217 · 2024 | 80.550th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.874th/196 · 2024 | — |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.9660th/174 · 2022 | 1.941997 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 6.413th/145 · 2023 | 3.01990 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | — |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 78.1%2000 | 95.3%2015 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 104.4%43rd/173 · 2024 | 84.8%121st/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 25.9%56th/217 · 2025 | 12.8%108th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.4%121st/193 · 2023 | — |
| Adult literacy % | — | 98.9%2017 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 50.8%78th/150 · 2025 | 33.0%2008 |
| 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 | 70.4%122nd/186 · 2024 | 81.1%2017 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 115107th/210 · 2022 | 13944th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 37.535th/208 · 2022 | 56.42nd/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 01991 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 2.52100th/203 · 2024 | 5.00150th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 5.5%166th/212 · 2022 | 0.0%207th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 10.953rd/200 · 2023 | — |
| Forest area % of land area | 14.6%144th/214 · 2024 | 53.0%49th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,4782007 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 64.960th/205 · 2025 | 74.137th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 72.826th/207 · 2025 | 60.257th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 70.551st/207 · 2025 | 74.538th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 88.017th/207 · 2025 | 91.76th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 62.363rd/205 · 2025 | 67.145th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 77.633rd/205 · 2025 | 78.229th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 7.4110th/145 · 2023 | 4.493rd/145 · 2020 |
| 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 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2022 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 57150th/197 · 2023 | — |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Barbados or Cayman Islands?
Barbados has the larger population: 282,623 (2025) compared with 75,844 for Cayman Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Barbados or Cayman Islands?
Barbados is larger: 431 km² (2024) compared with 264 km² for Cayman Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Barbados or Cayman Islands?
Barbados has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $7.32 bn intl. (2025) compared with $6.87 bn intl. for Cayman Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Barbados or Cayman Islands?
Cayman Islands has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $92,201 intl. (2024) compared with $25,894 intl. for Barbados (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Barbados or Cayman Islands?
Cayman Islands has the higher life expectancy at birth: 80.5 years (2024) compared with 76.3 years for Barbados (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Aruba
Bahamas
Belize
Suriname
US Virgin IslandsSources
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). Barbados vs Cayman Islands — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/barbados-vs-cayman-islands. Data as of 26 October 2026.