MigrantoBarbadian Diaspora
19.6K Barbadians live abroad — 7% of the population of Barbados
Barbadian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 78% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Canada | 13022 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1704 |
| Jamaica | 550 |
| Australia | 408 |
| Saint Lucia | 390 |
| US Virgin Islands | 367 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 361 |
| Chile | 341 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 327 |
| Curaçao | 311 |
| Guyana | 273 |
| Bahamas | 268 |
| British Virgin Islands | 235 |
| Cayman Islands | 222 |
| Grenada | 183 |
| Dominica | 172 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 101 |
| Sint Maarten | 79 |
| Panama | 58 |
| Denmark | 46 |
| El Salvador | 41 |
| Norway | 27 |
| Costa Rica | 16 |
| Finland | 14 |
| Guinea | 9 |
| Greece | 8 |
| Luxembourg | 7 |
| Venezuela | 5 |
| Bulgaria | 4 |
| Hungary | 4 |
| Latvia | 2 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Estonia | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Iceland | 0 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
67% of the diaspora lives in North America
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Key facts
The Barbadian diaspora in numbers
Most Barbadians abroad live in Canada
67% of the diaspora lives in Canada, while the next country accounts for just 9%.
1 in 14 people born in Barbados lives abroad
19.6K people born in Barbados now live in other countries — 6.9% of a population of 282.5K.
Barbadian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 20659 |
| 1995 | 20592 |
| 2000 | 20249 |
| 2005 | 20961 |
| 2010 | 20844 |
| 2015 | 20504 |
| 2020 | 19564 |
| 2024 | 19558 |
Largest communities over time
Barbadians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Canada | Trinidad and Tobago | Jamaica | Australia | Saint Lucia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14838 | 2411 | 418 | 341 | 324 |
| 1995 | 14753 | 2188 | 497 | 359 | 437 |
| 2000 | 14663 | 1573 | 575 | 370 | 600 |
| 2005 | 15255 | 1688 | 560 | 382 | 540 |
| 2010 | 15779 | 1029 | 545 | 428 | 440 |
| 2015 | 15217 | 1066 | 533 | 450 | 421 |
| 2020 | 13877 | 1184 | 541 | 430 | 403 |
| 2024 | 13022 | 1704 | 550 | 408 | 390 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Barbadians in each country has changed since the selected year
Barbadians among immigrants in other countries
Where Barbadians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Barbadians live outside Barbados?
Around 19.6K Barbadians live abroad, the world's #181 largest diaspora.
Where do most Barbadians abroad live?
Most Barbadians live in Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica — these three countries account for about 78% of all Barbadians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Barbadian population outside Barbados?
Canada is home to the largest Barbadian community abroad — 13K people, about 67% of all Barbadians living abroad.
What share of the population of Barbados lives abroad?
About 7% of the population of Barbados lives abroad — that's 19.6K out of a total population of 282.5K.
Is the Barbadian diaspora growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of Barbadians living abroad has changed from 20.5K to 19.6K, about 5%.
Where does the data on the Barbadian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Barbados who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Barbados
See the full country overview