Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados

Barbados: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 59.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
59.2%
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
64th
of 196 countries
All-time high
64.4%
in 2004
All-time low
29.8%
in 1966
Years of data
34
1960–2024

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados, 1960–2024

02040601960199220241960: 30.51966: 29.81970: 44.71978: 35.61980: 52.51983: 54.51986: 57.61987: 58.41988: 60.81989: 61.31990: 60.21991: 58.21992: 59.31994: 611995: 62.81996: 61.41997: 62.22003: 63.92004: 64.42009: 62.22010: 622011: 632012: 612013: 622014: 60.42015: 60.82016: 61.92017: 60.52018: 59.52019: 592021: 56.22022: 58.22023: 57.32024: 59.2

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Barbados recorded 59.2% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 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, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados peaked at 64.4% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 29.8%, in 1966.

That places Barbados 64th out of 196 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.

Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) in Barbados, 1960 to 2024.
Year Value 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 Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 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.

YearChange FromTo
1970 +50.0% 29.8% 44.7%
1980 +47.4% 35.6% 52.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 61 Thailand 59.3% compare
  2. 62 Malta 59.3% compare
  3. 63 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 59.3% compare
  4. 65 Georgia 58.9% compare
  5. 66 Aruba 58.8% compare
  6. 67 Lithuania 58.6% compare
  7. 67 Luxembourg 58.6% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Barbados

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados?
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados was 59.2% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Barbados?
The highest recorded value was 64.4% in 2004.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Barbados?
The lowest recorded value was 29.8% in 1966.
How does Barbados rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
Barbados ranks 64th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 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 database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Barbados. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-female-percent-of-female-population-ages-15-national/barbados/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 5,454 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.