Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados
Barbados: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 59.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados, 1960–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Barbados recorded 59.2% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados peaked at 64.4% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 29.8%, in 1966.
That places Barbados 64th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.5% | — |
| 1966 | 29.8% | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 44.7% | +50.0% |
| 1978 | 35.6% | -20.4% |
| 1980 | 52.5% | +47.4% |
| 1983 | 54.5% | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 57.6% | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 58.4% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 60.8% | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 61.3% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 60.2% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 58.2% | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 59.3% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 61.0% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 62.8% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 61.4% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 62.2% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 63.9% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 62.2% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 63.0% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 61.0% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 60.4% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 60.8% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 61.9% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 59.5% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 59.0% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 56.2% | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 58.2% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 57.3% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 59.2% | +3.2% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 59.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 59.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 53.7%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +50.0% | 29.8% | 44.7% |
| 1980 | +47.4% | 35.6% | 52.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 30.2% | 29.8% | 30.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 40.2% | 35.6% | 44.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 57.5% | 52.5% | 61.3% | 6 |
| 1990s | 60.7% | 58.2% | 62.8% | 7 |
| 2000s | 63.5% | 62.2% | 64.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 61.0% | 59.0% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 56.2% | 59.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More work & labour data for Barbados
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7079 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6853 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7302 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9854 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8257 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 114.42 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 165.89 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 97.75 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 96.95 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 194.7 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Barbados was 59.2% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 64.4% in 2004.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.8% in 1966.
- How does Barbados rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Barbados ranks 64th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.