BB
Trade & investment · Latin America & Caribbean · High income
Barbados: trade and investment
Current account is -5.1% (2017). Merchandise exports is $428m (2025), 171st of 206 in the world and 27th of 39 in Latin America & Caribbean. High-tech exports is 19.9% (2024), 32nd of 170 in the world and 3rd of 32 in Latin America & Caribbean.
Current account
Barbados
Merchandise exports
Barbados
10 indicators
Trade & investment: Barbados in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Latin America & Caribbean; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current accountCurrent account balance, % of GDP | -5.1%2017 | — | — | -3.3% | -5.0% | · | +2.4 ppsince 2007 | — | — | — | |
| Merchandise exportsMerchandise exports, current US$ | $428m2025 | 171/206 | 27/39 | $272m | $429m | $345m | −11%since 2015 | $1.7tn | $17.5tn | $26.4tn | |
| High-tech exportsHigh-technology exports, % of manufactured exports | 19.9%2024 | 32/170 | 3/32 | · | · | 20.3% | — | 13.1% | 25.8% | 24.7% | |
| Fuel exportsFuel exports, % of merchandise exports | 4.8%2025 | 77/172 | 13/32 | 8.6% | 0.0% | 4.8% | −0.7 ppsince 2015 | 8.8% | 10.4% | 9.5% | |
| Food exportsFood exports, % of merchandise exports | 43.7%2025 | 36/172 | 14/32 | 37.8% | 33.0% | 35.2% | +10.1 ppsince 2015 | 23.6% | 8.8% | 9.0% | |
| Average tariffApplied tariff rate, weighted mean, all products | 14.6%2022 | 12/184 | 4/35 | 21.0% | 15.8% | 11.8% | +6.2 ppsince 2012 | — | — | — | |
| FDI inflowsForeign direct investment, net inflows, % of GDP | 3.4%2025 | 64/197 | 15/38 | 2.4% | 7.8% | 4.9% | −8.7 ppsince 2015 | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.4% | |
| RemittancesPersonal remittances received, % of GDP | 1.5%2017 | — | — | 3.7% | 1.5% | · | −1.5 ppsince 2007 | 2.4% | 0.3% | 0.8% | |
| Tourist arrivalsInternational tourist arrivals | 966,0002019 | 99/196 | 20/41 | 1.1m | 1.2m | 966,0002019 | −16%since 2009 | 202m | 1.5bn | 2.4bn | |
| Tourism receiptsInternational tourism receipts, current US$ | $1.1bn2016 | 70/177 | 12/36 | $795m | $1.0bn | · | +0.3%since 2006 | $105bn | $1.2tn | $1.9tn |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
nearest countries
Barbados and its nearest countries
Barbados has no land border; compared with the closest countries by distance between capitals. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Barbados | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Grenada | Dominica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current account | -5.1%2017 | -6.3%2025 | -16.1%2025 | -23.1%2025 | -38.0%2025 |
| Merchandise exports | $428m2025 | $85.0m2025 | $37.0m2025 | $35.0m2025 | $24.0m2025 |
| High-tech exports | 19.9%2024 | 9.3%2020 | 4.9%2023 | 6.4%2024 | 2.9%2023 |
| Fuel exports | 4.8%2025 | 3.4%2020 | 0.0%2023 | 0.0%2024 | 0.0%2023 |
| Food exports | 43.7%2025 | 41.6%2020 | 72.5%2023 | 69.1%2024 | 41.2%2023 |
| Average tariff | 14.6%2022 | 9.1%2020 | 9.2%2022 | 13.0%2022 | 7.8%2020 |
| FDI inflows | 3.4%2025 | 7.3%2025 | 8.9%2025 | 12.0%2025 | 6.8%2025 |
| Remittances | 1.5%2017 | 2.4%2025 | 7.0%2025 | 3.3%2025 | 5.5%2025 |
| Tourist arrivals | 966,0002019 | 432,5002020 | 392,0002019 | 217,0002020 | 140,0002020 |