Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados
Barbados: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.71 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.71 births per woman
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
127th
of 215 countries
All-time high
4.71 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
1.58 births per woman
in 1988
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados is 1.71 births per woman, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados peaked at 4.71 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.58 births per woman, in 1988.
That places Barbados 127th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.71 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 4.15 births per woman | -11.8% |
| 1962 | 4.3 births per woman | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 4.3 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 4.21 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 4.18 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 4.14 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.6 births per woman | -13.2% |
| 1968 | 3.57 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 3.34 births per woman | -6.5% |
| 1970 | 3.08 births per woman | -7.9% |
| 1971 | 3.2 births per woman | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 3.15 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 2.87 births per woman | -9.1% |
| 1974 | 2.65 births per woman | -7.4% |
| 1975 | 2.45 births per woman | -7.7% |
| 1976 | 2.24 births per woman | -8.4% |
| 1977 | 2.2 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 1.84 births per woman | -16.4% |
| 1979 | 1.86 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 1.78 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1981 | 1.85 births per woman | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 1.86 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 1.75 births per woman | -5.6% |
| 1985 | 1.77 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 1.69 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 1.61 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 1.58 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 1.64 births per woman | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 1.84 births per woman | +12.5% |
| 1991 | 1.84 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 1.8 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 1.77 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 1.73 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 1.7 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 1.67 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 1.65 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.62 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 1.78 births per woman | +9.8% |
| 2000 | 1.93 births per woman | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 1.96 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.86 births per woman | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 1.86 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.8 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 1.74 births per woman | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 1.7 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 1.75 births per woman | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.76 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 1.77 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.78 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.76 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.73 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.73 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 1.73 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.73 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.72 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.72 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.71 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.71 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.71 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 1.71 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.71 births per woman | +0.0% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 1.71 births per woman is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 births per woman, 1.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 1.71 births per woman is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.62 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.05 births per woman | 3.34 births per woman | 4.71 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.55 births per woman | 1.84 births per woman | 3.2 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.74 births per woman | 1.58 births per woman | 1.86 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.74 births per woman | 1.62 births per woman | 1.84 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.81 births per woman | 1.7 births per woman | 1.96 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.73 births per woman | 1.72 births per woman | 1.78 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.71 births per woman | 1.71 births per woman | 1.71 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More population data for Barbados
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 267.79 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.0106 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9003 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 452.82 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 8,035 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Barbados was 1.71 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 4.71 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.58 births per woman in 1988.
- How does Barbados rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Barbados ranks 127th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.