Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados

Barbados: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 6.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
6.7%
Change on year
up 7.5%
World rank
63rd
of 181 countries
All-time high
21.6%
in 1993
All-time low
6.2%
in 2023
Years of data
41
1976–2024

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados, 1976–2024

51015201976200020241976: 12.11977: 10.61978: 11.21979: 7.21980: 8.61981: 7.41982: 10.11983: 111984: 12.91985: 14.21986: 131987: 13.31988: 12.61989: 9.11990: 10.31991: 13.51992: 20.61993: 21.61994: 18.31995: 16.61996: 12.41997: 11.41998: 8.51999: 7.92000: 7.52001: 82002: 8.52003: 9.52009: 10.12010: 10.92013: 11.72014: 11.82015: 10.62016: 7.92017: 8.52018: 8.12019: 9.52021: 10.52022: 72023: 6.22024: 6.7

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

Analysis

In 2024, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados stood at 6.7%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.5% on the previous year and down 43.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados peaked at 21.6% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 2023.

That places Barbados 63rd out of 181 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in Barbados, 1976 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1976 12.1%
1977 10.6% -12.4%
1978 11.2% +5.7%
1979 7.2% -35.7%
1980 8.6% +19.4%
1981 7.4% -13.7%
1982 10.1% +36.3%
1983 11.0% +8.6%
1984 12.9% +17.7%
1985 14.2% +9.8%
1986 13.0% -8.5%
1987 13.3% +2.7%
1988 12.6% -5.2%
1989 9.1% -27.6%
1990 10.3% +12.2%
1991 13.5% +31.3%
1992 20.6% +52.7%
1993 21.6% +5.1%
1994 18.3% -15.4%
1995 16.6% -9.2%
1996 12.4% -25.4%
1997 11.4% -8.0%
1998 8.5% -25.2%
1999 7.9% -7.5%
2000 7.5% -5.0%
2001 8.0% +6.9%
2002 8.5% +6.1%
2003 9.5% +12.1%
2009 10.1% +6.0%
2010 10.9% +7.9%
2013 11.7% +7.0%
2014 11.8% +1.2%
2015 10.6% -9.9%
2016 7.9% -26.1%
2017 8.5% +7.8%
2018 8.1% -4.1%
2019 9.5% +17.4%
2021 10.5% +10.1%
2022 7.0% -33.6%
2023 6.2% -11.1%
2024 6.7% +7.5%

Barbados compared with similar countries

  • Barbados's 6.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.4× the median. (75 countries reporting)
  • Barbados's 6.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.8%, 1.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 10.3% 7.2% 12.1% 4
1980s 11.2% 7.4% 14.2% 10
1990s 14.1% 7.9% 21.6% 10
2000s 8.7% 7.5% 10.1% 5
2010s 9.9% 7.9% 11.8% 8
2020s 7.6% 6.2% 10.5% 4

Countries ranked near Barbados

  1. 60 Argentina 6.7% compare
  2. 61 Belgium 6.7% compare
  3. 62 Tuvalu 6.7% compare
  4. 64 Sao Tome and Principe 6.6% compare
  5. 65 Denmark 6.4% compare
  6. 66 Iran, Islamic Republic of 6.2% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Barbados

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados was 6.7% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Barbados?
The highest recorded value was 21.6% in 1993.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Barbados?
The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 2023.
How does Barbados rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
Barbados ranks 63rd out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Barbados?
Over the last ten years it is down 43.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Barbados data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Barbados. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/barbados/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,415 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.