Barbados Reserves in Months of Imports
Total reserves in months of imports FI.RES.TOTL.MO
Barbados's reserves in months of imports was 1.3 in 2017, ranked 146th globally. This represents a 25.4% decrease from 2016. Data from World Bank, covering 1967–2017.
Overview
Barbados's reserves in months of imports stood at 1.3 in 2017, a decline of +0.4 from 2016. Barbados ranked 146th globally.
Barbados’ reserves in months of imports stood at 1.26 in 2017, placing the island at rank 146 globally. This level is modestly above the all‑time trough of 1.15 recorded in 1991 but far short of the historic peak of 5.29 reached in 2001, when strong export earnings and prudent fiscal management built a sizable buffer. Over the 51‑year series, the indicator has hovered between 1.19 in 1967 and the 2001 high, reflecting limited diversification of trade partners and a reliance on tourism‑related revenues that can fluctuate with external shocks. By comparison, peers such as Bahrain (1.21) and Greece (1.17) exhibit similar narrow coverage, while Lithuania’s higher ratio of 1.45 underscores the advantage of broader export bases. Maintaining the current reserve level will require continued accumulation of foreign exchange, especially if tourism demand weakens or external debt pressures rise; without such measures, the upward trajectory seen in the early 2000s is unlikely to resume.
Data & projection
| Year | Reserves in Months of Imports | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1.3 | −0.4 | #146 |
| 2016 | 1.7 | −0.7 | #137 |
| 2015 | 2.4 | −0.0 | #129 |
| 2014 | 2.5 | −0.4 | #125 |
| 2013 | 2.8 | −0.9 | #115 |
| 2012 | 3.7 | +0.1 | #92 |
| 2011 | 3.6 | −0.3 | #89 |
| 2010 | 4.0 | −0.2 | #94 |
| 2009 | 4.2 | +1.1 | #99 |
| 2008 | 3.1 | −0.6 | #83 |
| 2007 | 3.7 | +0.8 | #79 |
| 2006 | 2.9 | −0.2 | #94 |
| 2005 | 3.1 | −0.3 | #80 |
| 2004 | 3.4 | −1.5 | #70 |
| 2003 | 4.9 | −0.1 | #50 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Barbados matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw reserves in months of imports improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Barbados's reserves in months of imports was 1.3 in 2017. Ranked 146th globally. This represents a 25.4% decrease from the previous year.
Barbados's reserves in months of imports peaked at 5.3 in 2001.
The lowest reserves in months of imports in Barbados was 1.2 in 1991.
Barbados ranks 146th globally in reserves in months of imports as of 2017.
The World Bank indicator code is FI.RES.TOTL.MO. Data sourced from World Bank.
The reserves in months of imports of Barbados in 2017 was 1.3. This ranks 146th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_barbados_reserves-months-imports,
title = {Barbados Reserves in Months of Imports},
url = {https://historysaid.com/barbados/reserves-months-imports/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}