Barbados - Urban population

The value for Urban population in Barbados was 89,634 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 101,213 in 1980 and a minimum value of 84,949 in 1960.

Definition: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

See also:

Year Value
1960 84,949
1961 85,386
1962 85,889
1963 86,432
1964 86,957
1965 87,435
1966 87,856
1967 88,244
1968 88,633
1969 89,077
1970 89,705
1971 90,777
1972 91,948
1973 93,173
1974 94,413
1975 95,645
1976 96,850
1977 98,032
1978 99,194
1979 100,313
1980 101,213
1981 100,883
1982 100,498
1983 100,082
1984 99,660
1985 99,265
1986 98,897
1987 98,545
1988 98,209
1989 97,886
1990 97,511
1991 96,923
1992 96,331
1993 95,740
1994 95,160
1995 94,590
1996 94,027
1997 93,478
1998 92,928
1999 92,366
2000 91,844
2001 91,637
2002 91,408
2003 91,171
2004 90,945
2005 90,746
2006 90,584
2007 90,441
2008 90,299
2009 90,131
2010 89,915
2011 89,707
2012 89,515
2013 89,351
2014 89,230
2015 89,162
2016 89,149
2017 89,186
2018 89,280
2019 89,430
2020 89,634

Development Relevance: Explosive growth of cities globally signifies the demographic transition from rural to urban, and is associated with shifts from an agriculture-based economy to mass industry, technology, and service. In principle, cities offer a more favorable setting for the resolution of social and environmental problems than rural areas. Cities generate jobs and income, and deliver education, health care and other services. Cities also present opportunities for social mobilization and women's empowerment.

Limitations and Exceptions: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries. Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries. Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers. Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population. Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Density & urbanization