Barbados Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Barbados Defense Force: The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2022)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $35 million)

0.8% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $40 million)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 600 active personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Netherlands provide the BDF's major equipment inventory (maritime patrol boats) (2022)

Military service age and obligation

voluntary service only (men and women); 17 years, 9 months to 17 years, 11 months with letter of consent from a parent or guardian, or be in the age range of 18-25 years at the start of recruit training; citizens of Barbados by descent or naturalization (2022)

Military - note

Barbados has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security; the RSS is headquartered in Barbados (2022)

NOTE: The information regarding Barbados on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Barbados 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Barbados 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.