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Barbados Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

6.52% −1.39pp (-17.6%)
Year 2025 Rank #118 Global Peak 24.54% (1993) Source World Bank

Barbados Unemployment Rate (1981–2025)

Overview

Barbados's unemployment rate stood at 6.52% in 2025, a decline of +1.39pp from 2024. The IMF projects 7.92% by 2025. Barbados ranked 118th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 7.83% - -
2029* IMF 7.81% - -
2028* IMF 7.88% - -
2027* IMF 7.85% - -
2026* IMF 7.82% - -
2025* IMF 7.92% - -
2025 6.52% −1.39pp #118
2024 6.45% −1.77pp #120
2023 6.54% −1.61pp #125
2022 7.26% −6.84pp #129
2021 11.02% −4.71pp #145
2020 10.59% +0.50pp #139
2019 8.41% −1.64pp #135
2018 8.32% −1.63pp #129
2017 8.62% −1.03pp #129
2016 8.25% −3.05pp #125
2015 9.80% −2.47pp #136
2014 12.17% +0.55pp #153
2013 11.55% +0.05pp #143
2012 11.59% +0.44pp #143
2011 11.19% +0.94pp #143
Show all years (1981-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Stagflation Risk
GDP growth below 2% combined with inflation above 8% and rising unemployment. The worst macro combination for policymakers.
Inflation 9.4% GDP growth -0.3% Unemployment 11.2%
Occurred 307 times, 117 successful
Inflation
26.9%
GDP growth
-4.2%
Unemployment
14.6%
Inflation
185.7%
GDP growth
-14.0%
Unemployment
60.8%
Inflation
14.4%
GDP growth
1.1%
Unemployment
9.1%
Inflation
33.9%
GDP growth
-1.5%
Unemployment
17.0%
Inflation
736.1%
GDP growth
1.7%
Unemployment
9.4%
Inflation
13.6%
GDP growth
1.3%
Unemployment
14.1%

Analysis

Barbados matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Barbados's unemployment rate?

Barbados's unemployment rate was 6.52% in 2025. Ranked 118th globally. This represents a 17.6% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Barbados?

Barbados's unemployment rate peaked at 24.54% in 1993.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Barbados?

The lowest unemployment rate in Barbados was 6.45% in 2024.

How does Barbados rank in unemployment rate?

Barbados ranks 118th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of Barbados in 2025?

Barbados's unemployment rate is projected to reach 7.92% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of Barbados in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Barbados in 2025 was 6.52%. This ranks 118th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Barbados Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/barbados/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_barbados_unemployment-rate, title = {Barbados Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/barbados/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }