Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados
Barbados: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 49.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados is 49.8%, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados peaked at 57.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 48.1%, in 1950.
Barbados ranks 29th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 48.1% | — |
| 1955 | 49.6% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 51.2% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 51.8% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 53.7% | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 55.5% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 56.2% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 57.1% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 55.7% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 53.4% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 54.6% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 53.8% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 54.4% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 49.8% | -8.5% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 49.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 49.8% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 30.3%, 1.6× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 48.8% | 48.1% | 49.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 51.5% | 51.2% | 51.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 54.6% | 53.7% | 55.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 56.6% | 56.2% | 57.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 55.2% | 54.6% | 55.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 54.0% | 53.4% | 54.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 54.1% | 53.8% | 54.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 49.8% | 49.8% | 49.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 26 Equatorial Guinea 50.4% compare
- 27 Mauritania 50.2% compare
- 28 Estonia 49.9% compare
- 30 Panama 47.8% compare
- 31 Armenia 47.7% compare
- 32 South Korea 47.6% compare
More population data for Barbados
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 8,035 people (2100)
- Population density 452.82 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9003 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.0106 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Barbados was 49.8% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 57.1% in 1985.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.1% in 1950.
- How does Barbados rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Barbados ranks 29th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.