Barbados Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Barbados's industry employment was 16.17% in 2025, ranked 53rd globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Barbados's industry employment stood at 16.17% in 2025, a decline of +0.02% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 15.94% by 2026. Barbados ranked 53rd globally.
Barbados’ share of employment in the industrial sector has contracted markedly over the past three and a half decades, falling from 24.23 percent in 1991 to a trough of 16.17 percent in 2025, the lowest point recorded since the series began. The all‑time peak of 25.73 percent occurred in 1999, shortly after the island’s shift toward services and tourism intensified, suggesting that structural reallocation began in the late 1990s. By 2025 Barbados ranks 53rd globally, closely aligned with peers such as Jordan (16.13 percent) and St. Lucia (16.21 percent), indicating that its industrial employment share now mirrors that of other small, service‑oriented economies. The persistent decline reflects limited manufacturing diversification, high labor costs, and competition from imported goods, all of which have constrained the sector’s capacity to retain workers. If policy measures succeed in fostering higher‑value manufacturing, renewable‑energy projects, or agro‑industrial linkages, the downward trajectory could be moderated, allowing the industrial share of employment to stabilise or modestly recover in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 15.70% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 15.82% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 15.94% | - | - |
| 2025 | 16.17% | −0.02% | #53 |
| 2024 | 16.19% | −0.04% | #52 |
| 2023 | 16.23% | +0.06% | #58 |
| 2022 | 16.18% | −0.62% | #56 |
| 2021 | 16.80% | +0.39% | #64 |
| 2020 | 16.41% | −0.50% | #63 |
| 2019 | 16.91% | −1.33% | #70 |
| 2018 | 18.24% | −1.07% | #82 |
| 2017 | 19.31% | +0.05% | #91 |
| 2016 | 19.26% | −0.10% | #90 |
| 2015 | 19.36% | −0.21% | #92 |
| 2014 | 19.57% | −0.22% | #95 |
| 2013 | 19.79% | −0.02% | #95 |
| 2012 | 19.81% | −0.23% | #94 |
| 2011 | 20.03% | −0.38% | #98 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Barbados matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Barbados's industry employment was 16.17% in 2025. Ranked 53rd globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from the previous year.
Barbados's industry employment peaked at 25.73% in 1999.
The lowest industry employment in Barbados was 16.17% in 2025.
Barbados ranks 53rd globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Barbados's industry employment is projected to reach 15.94% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Barbados in 2025 was 16.17%. This ranks 53rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_barbados_industry-employment,
title = {Barbados Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/barbados/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}