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Barbados vs US Virgin Islands
Side-by-side comparison of Barbados and US Virgin 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
US Virgin Islands
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 109 years
In short
Barbados has 2.7 times the population of US Virgin Islands. Barbados has 24% more land area than US Virgin Islands. The economy of Barbados is 39% larger than that of US Virgin Islands (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Barbados 282,623 and US Virgin Islands 103,792 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $49,785 in US Virgin Islands and $25,894 in Barbados (2025, international dollars). People in US Virgin Islands live on average 4.4 years longer (80.8 vs 76.3 years).
Of 14 indicators reported by both countries, Barbados ranks higher in the world on 7 and US Virgin Islands on 7. Barbados is clearly stronger in economy. US Virgin Islands is clearly stronger in environment & energy and society & health.
As a nation, Barbados is the older of the two (statehood since 1623, 403 years), compared with US Virgin Islands (since 1917).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Barbados and US Virgin Islands.
Barbados
2.52
100th of 203
US Virgin Islandsbetter
0.00
5th of 203
Fixed broadbandInfrastructure & digital
Barbadosbetter
37.5
35th of 208
US Virgin Islands
10.1
118th of 208
GDP growthEconomy
Barbadosbetter
2.7%
127th of 210
US Virgin Islands
-1.3%
201st of 210
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Barbadosbetter
72.8
26th of 207
US Virgin Islands
46.7
94th of 207
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Barbados overtook US Virgin Islands in the NationsTree Index in 2022, the latest year with data.
US Virgin Islands overtook Barbados in life expectancy in 2000 and has stayed ahead since.
US Virgin Islands has been ahead of Barbados in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 2002.
Barbados has been ahead of US Virgin Islands in GDP (PPP) in every year since 2002.
Barbados has been ahead of US Virgin 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
BarbadosUS Virgin 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 | US Virgin Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 431195th/216 · 2024 | 348197th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 431194th/216 · 2024 | 348196th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 282,623179th/217 · 2025 | 103,792192nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.06%167th/217 · 2025 | -0.56%202nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 655.414th/216 · 2024 | 299.942nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 59.7%126th/217 · 2025 | 95.4%18th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 17.1%153rd/217 · 2025 | 16.5%161st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 17.1%56th/217 · 2025 | 23.1%13th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $8.02 bn159th/210 · 2025 | $4.67 bn169th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $7.32 bn166th/199 · 2025 | $5.25 bn174th/199 · 2022 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $6.25 bn166th/199 · 2025 | $4.90 bn174th/199 · 2022 |
| GDP per person USD | $28,36561st/210 · 2025 | $44,32136th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $25,89489th/199 · 2025 | $49,78554th/199 · 2022 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $27,08053rd/201 · 2025 | — |
| GDP growth % | 2.7%127th/210 · 2025 | -1.3%201st/210 · 2022 |
| Inflation % | 0.8%31st/180 · 2025 | — |
| Unemployment % | 6.5%119th/187 · 2025 | 11.4%158th/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 | — |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 12.2%172nd/200 · 2024 | — |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.9%153rd/192 · 2024 | — |
| Services % of GDP | 75.8%17th/200 · 2024 | — |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | — | $4.55 bn134th/182 · 2022 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | — | $5.06 bn139th/182 · 2022 |
| Exports % of GDP | — | 97.4%11th/183 · 2022 |
| Imports % of GDP | — | 108.3%5th/183 · 2022 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | — | 205.6%8th/183 · 2022 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 4.8%76th/170 · 2025 | — |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 41.2%73rd/171 · 2025 | — |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 43.7%36th/171 · 2025 | — |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 8.5%43rd/171 · 2025 | — |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 19.9%32nd/168 · 2024 | — |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -5.9%149th/191 · 2025 | — |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.4%64th/196 · 2025 | — |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%142nd/209 · 2021 | 0.2%150th/209 · 2020 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.31%61st/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2020 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%86th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2020 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.21%24th/195 · 2020 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2020 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%152nd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2020 |
| Arable land % of land area | 16.2%67th/206 · 2024 | 2.2%168th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 283162nd/183 · 2022 | — |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 966,00099th/194 · 2019 | 8.6 m24th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.07 bn70th/175 · 2016 | $686.0 m86th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 44.4%19th/168 · 2016 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 76.396th/217 · 2024 | 80.849th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.874th/196 · 2024 | — |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.9660th/174 · 2022 | 1.651995 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 6.413th/145 · 2023 | 18.71996 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | — |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 78.1%2000 | — |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 104.4%43rd/173 · 2024 | 121.7%1997 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 25.9%56th/217 · 2025 | 38.3%8th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.4%121st/193 · 2023 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 50.8%78th/150 · 2025 | 33.6%1993 |
| 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 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 98.7%35th/150 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 70.4%122nd/186 · 2024 | 64.4%2017 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 115107th/210 · 2022 | 91158th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 37.535th/208 · 2022 | 10.1118th/208 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 01991 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 2.52100th/203 · 2024 | 0.005th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 5.5%166th/212 · 2022 | 5.9%165th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 10.953rd/200 · 2023 | 6.823rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 14.6%144th/214 · 2024 | 58.9%33rd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,4782007 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 64.960th/205 · 2025 | 59.675th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 72.826th/207 · 2025 | 46.794th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 70.551st/207 · 2025 | 68.064th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 88.017th/207 · 2025 | 82.644th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 62.363rd/205 · 2025 | 74.225th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 77.633rd/205 · 2025 | 72.62017 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 7.4110th/145 · 2023 | 49.92012 |
| 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 | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.03%2007 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2022 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 57150th/197 · 2023 | — |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Barbados or US Virgin Islands?
Barbados has the larger population: 282,623 (2025) compared with 103,792 for US Virgin Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Barbados or US Virgin Islands?
Barbados is larger: 431 km² (2024) compared with 348 km² for US Virgin Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Barbados or US Virgin Islands?
Barbados has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $7.32 bn intl. (2025) compared with $5.25 bn intl. for US Virgin Islands (2022). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Barbados or US Virgin Islands?
US Virgin Islands has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $49,785 intl. (2022) compared with $25,894 intl. for Barbados (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Barbados or US Virgin Islands?
US Virgin Islands has the higher life expectancy at birth: 80.8 years (2024) compared with 76.3 years for Barbados (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Aruba
Bahamas
Belize
Cayman Islands
Suriname
Curaçao
Saint LuciaSources
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 US Virgin Islands — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/barbados-vs-us-virgin-islands. Data as of 26 October 2026.