Barbados vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 152 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Malaysia has 129 times as many people as Barbados (36.4 million vs 282,780). Malaysia's economy is 53.2 times the size of Barbados's ($466.53 billion vs $8.78 billion GDP).

Comparing Barbados and Malaysia: Barbados leads on Radios (237,000) against Malaysia (10.90); Barbados leads on Major Urban Areas Population (89,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people); Barbados leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (269,000) against Malaysia (33). Across 152 compared metrics, Barbados wins on 58 and Malaysia wins on 86.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 57 metrics compared
  • Environment: 9 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 2 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 36 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration37.48 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★12.18 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)70.36 %98.02 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)79.99 %97.69 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 80% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed37.48 Mbps★12.18 Mbps
Radios237,000★10.9
Televisions76,000★10.8
Waterwaysnone7,296

Economy

57 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country80.51M $47.38B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars8.78B $466.53B $★
Apple Import Volume2.07M tonnes101.62M tonnes★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7 %★3 %
Coal Revenue00.02★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)8.1 %★4.61 %
Corporate Tax Rate Trends25 %★24 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.6 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index57.983.3★
Electricity Consumption990★136.9
Electricity Exports03★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels93★78
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants018★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables7★4
Electricity Imports033★
Electricity Installed Capacity269,000★33
Electricity Production1.01148.3★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)68.29 USD per capita113.16 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate76.41 %★56.67 %
Gini Index Coefficient34.140.7★
Gross Fixed Investment27.4★20.3
Gross National Saving7.228.5★
High-Tech Export Percentage26.51 %63.18 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries22,127.36 USD35,461.45 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-1.3 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate0.85 %★1.38 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-0.5 %★1.8 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.7 % of GDP1 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption19.8230.44★
Natural Gas Exports038.23★
Natural Gas Imports5.65★2.8
Natural Gas Production14.1669.49★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves141.6★1.18
Oil Consumption9,000561,000★
Oil Exports0644,900★
Oil Imports8,684355,300★
Oil Production739664,800★
Oil Proved Reserves1.794★
Population Below Poverty LineNA5.6 people
Public Debt133.264.3★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)3.8 USD5.1 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends8.22 %★-2.25 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption11,000704,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0208,400★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports10,630304,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300★
Remittances1.3★0.4
Revenue from Forest Resources0.011.57★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)23.38 %13.55 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)23.38 % of GDP★13.55 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues24.9★12.6
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.99 %★3.69 %
Total Number of Billionaires119★
Unemployment Rate7.6 %3.9 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.69 %★66.12 %
Youth Unemployment Rate18.48 %11.95 %★

Environment

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)48,438★13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %★-60,000 %
Carbon Dioxide Emissions1.35★260.01
Population Distributionmost densely populated country in the eastern Caribbean; approximately one third of the population lives in urban areasa highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation1.04 sq km13.3 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage1.1 %13.3 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.07 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources80580★
Total Threatened Mammal Species3 species★80 species

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization43.74 %★4.11 %
Agricultural land100 sq. km85,710 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km430328,550★
Coastline Length (km)97 km4,675 km★
Irrigated Land504,420★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country62.08 %67.87 %★
Administrative Divisions1113★
Corruption Perception Index68 index50 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score68 index★50 index
Independence3031★
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.5★-2.46
Prison Population Rate296 per 100,000188 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception6850★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Average BMI for Adults26.4 kg/m²★25.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate88 %96 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)52.786.32★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)13.221.1★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.33 years76.82 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.43 per 1,000 births★0.48 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,259.75 USD1,703.34 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score82 score★80 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.1 % of GDP★4.4 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.33 years76.82 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.9 %0.3 %★
Hospital Bed Density5.7 people/sq km★2 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita6.4 beds per 1,000★1.96 beds per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)35 %26 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density3.67 per 1,000 people4.05 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)23.1 %15.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending49.49 %37.09 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS2,700★92,000
Total Number of Doctors2.96★2.29
Underweight Children Under 53.5★14.1

Military and Security

2 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Active Military Personnel1,000 personnel113,000 personnel★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)1,000136,000★

People and Society

36 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)56.88 %58.88 %★
Life expectancy at birth78.91 years80.87 years★
Median age of population39.67 years★31.44 years
Population Change60.3 persons428,622.9 persons★
Population density657.46 per sq. km110.8 per sq. km★
Total population282,779.5 persons36.40M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.9★0.29
Beer Consumption per Capita3.53 liters★0.51 liters
Birth Rate (%)8.02 %14.05 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate59.2 %★52.2 %
Crude Birth Rate11.12 per 1,000 people12.36 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)11.96 %5.8 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.6 % of GDP★3.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age64,523.4 persons9.69M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)72.2 %★45.85 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate37.48 %★12.18 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.3 male/female106.37 male/female★
Human Development Index0.56★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate147,200★18.26
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population89,000 people★8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)175.92★167.88
Mean Years of Schooling9.67 years11.96 years★
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio24.23 %10.6 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization86.34 %★83.21 %
Physician Density2.96 people/sq km★2.34 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.42 %0.97 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio14.111.66★
Total deaths2,950.1 persons★179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)62.47 %★42.17 %
Total fertility rate1.7 per woman★1.53 per woman
Total net-migration-101.4 persons162,673.4 persons★
Under-five mortality rate12.24 per live births5.53 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.32 %1.79 %★
Voting Age Population46.2 millions63.6 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)2.89★1.58
Airports1100★
Civil Air Travelno major transport aircraft53
Heliports124★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita928.60M USD7.89B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇧 Barbados🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Current Bank Rate2 %2.75 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Barbados vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, Barbados or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 129 times as many people as Barbados (36.4 million vs 282,780). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Barbados or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 53.2 times the size of Barbados's ($466.53 billion vs $8.78 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Barbados or Malaysia?▾

Barbados is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $31,032 in Barbados vs $12,818 in Malaysia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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