Photo: Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 17 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Barbados: Digital & Technology
How ready is a country to use, make and trade technology?
Barbados is placed 157th of 198 countries on digital & technology in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GovTech Maturity Index 0.318 (2025); Government AI Readiness Index 23.33 (2025).
Share
Digital & Technology
157th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Barbados on digital & technology — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.318
GTMI score (0–1)
Higher is better
Barbados: 0.318. Across the 196 countries in this edition, values run from 0.01 (North Korea) to 0.997 (South Korea); the world median is 0.63.
- World median
- 0.63
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.823 Dominican Republic
23.33
AI readiness score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 155th of 195 by Oxford Insights
Barbados: 23.33. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 12.12 (Guinea-Bissau) to 88.36 (United States); the world median is 40.19.
- World median
- 40.19
- Best in Caribbean
- 43.73 Dominican Republic
Key 3 of 4
Government Cyber Security Capacity
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
-0.322
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
Higher is better
Barbados: -0.322. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from -2.66 (Liberia) to 3.715 (Estonia); the world median is 0.196.
- World median
- 0.196
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.601 Cuba
Key 4 of 4
Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
Higher is better
UNCTAD publishes no 2024 figure for Barbados, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 170 countries in this edition, values run from 0.377 (Gambia) to 87.15 (Ireland); the world median is 25.42.
- World median
- 25.42
- Best in Caribbean
- 29.34 Dominica
02Over time
Which way Barbados is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government AI Readiness Index
AI readiness score (0–100) · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados fell from 40.8 in 2020 to 23.33 in 2025; the world median went from 39.58 to 40.19.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2025 23.3 40.2 2024 41.1 43.3 2023 40.1 41.4 2022 39.5 40.3 2021 42.2 44.1 2020 40.8 39.6 Government Cyber Security Capacity
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados fell from -0.27 in 2000 to -0.322 in 2025; the world median went from -0.514 to 0.196.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2025 -0.32 0.20 2024 -0.32 0.11 2023 -0.32 0.14 2022 -0.32 0.16 2021 -0.10 0.12 2020 -0.10 0.12 2019 -0.10 0.10 2018 -0.10 -0.05 2017 -0.27 -0.08 2016 -0.27 -0.10 2015 -0.27 -0.17 2014 -0.27 -0.21 2013 -0.27 -0.21 2012 -0.27 -0.25 2011 -0.27 -0.32 2010 -0.27 -0.31 2009 -0.27 -0.50 2008 -0.27 -0.51 2007 -0.27 -0.51 2006 -0.27 -0.55 2005 -0.27 -0.55 2004 -0.27 -0.55 2003 -0.27 -0.55 2002 -0.27 -0.51 2001 -0.27 -0.51 2000 -0.27 -0.51 Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) · higher is better
BarbadosWorld median
Barbados rose from 9.533 in 2010 to 9.929 in 2020; the world median went from 19.88 to 29.47.
Every year’s figures
Year Barbados World median 2024 — 25.42 2023 — 26.03 2022 — 26.04 2021 — 29.80 2020 9.93 29.47 2019 6.10 18.36 2018 5.08 20.09 2017 11.62 18.32 2016 8.39 18.15 2015 13.37 19.57 2014 13.44 21.00 2013 12.91 20.50 2012 11.68 19.56 2011 11.39 19.21 2010 9.53 19.88
03In context
Barbados beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on digital & technology, never a place within the region.
Barbados and Caribbean
Barbados has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | GovTech Maturity IndexGTMI score (0–1) | Government AI Readiness IndexAI readiness score (0–100) | Government Cyber Security CapacityOriginal latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity | Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsDigitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dominican Republic | 92nd | 0.823 | 43.73 | 0.27 | 9.257 |
 Cuba | =106th | 0.432 | 27.92 | 0.601 | — |
 Jamaica | 125th | 0.543 | 40.09 | -0.104 | 5.27 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 139th | 0.459 | 32.73 | -1.219 | 18.18 |
 Dominica | 145th | 0.322 | 19.76 | — | 29.34 |
 Bahamas | =150th | 0.502 | 31.18 | — | 3.072 |
| Barbados | 157th | 0.318 | 23.33 | -0.322 | — |
 Antigua and Barbuda | 168th | 0.194 | 25.04 | — | 7.61 |
 Saint Lucia | 170th | 0.353 | 26.66 | — | 1.991 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | =174th | 0.339 | 21.5 | — | 5.263 |
 Haiti | =178th | 0.138 | 14.94 | -2.507 | 23.95 |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | 180th | 0.288 | 20.85 | — | 5.979 |
 Grenada | 187th | 0.306 | 19.36 | — | 4.172 |
 Anguilla | not placed | — | — | — | 3.882 |
 Aruba | not placed | — | — | — | 4.048 |
 British Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Cayman Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Curaçao | not placed | — | — | — | 19.4 |
 Montserrat | not placed | — | — | — | 12.34 |
 Puerto Rico | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Saint Martin | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Sint Maarten | not placed | — | — | — | 7.116 |
 Turks and Caicos Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 United States Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
- Dominican Republic92nd
- Cuba=106th
- Jamaica125th
- Trinidad and Tobago139th
- Dominica145th
- Bahamas=150th
- Barbados157th
- Antigua and Barbuda168th
- Saint Lucia170th
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines=174th
- Haiti=178th
- Saint Kitts and Nevis180th
- Grenada187th
- Anguillanot placed
- Arubanot placed
- British Virgin Islandsnot placed
- Cayman Islandsnot placed
- Curaçaonot placed
- Montserratnot placed
- Puerto Riconot placed
- Saint Martinnot placed
- Sint Maartennot placed
- Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed
- United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on digital & technology
The countries immediately above and below Barbados in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Barbados is ahead of the world, and behind
11 more statistics filed under digital & technology, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median6
Statistics on which Barbados does better than the middle country measured.
Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.0232.0041.023No real change since 2015
Barbados: 2.004 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.
Position 2nd of 176 · derived.
Firms with Their Own WebsiteWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 62.3987.362.39No earlier reading
Barbados: 87.3 · world median 62.39 · Firms with their own website (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.824 to 97.88; higher is better.
Position 29th of 181 · derived.
Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic)V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median -0.1141.252-0.114No real change since 2015
Barbados: 1.252 · world median -0.114 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.2); higher = less disinformation. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.392 to 2.93; higher is better.
Position 36th of 176 · derived.
Government Social Media CensorshipV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.5051.3170.505▲ Improved since 2015
Barbados: 1.317 · world median 0.505 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4.5 to +2.4); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.721 to 2.295; higher is better.
Position 55th of 176 · derived.
Frontier Technology Readiness IndexUNCTAD · 2023 · world median 0.4850.6180.485No real change since 2013
Barbados: 0.618 · world median 0.485 · Frontier Technology Readiness Index (0–1). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; higher is better.
Position 58th of 170 · derived.
Share of Firms' Payments Made ElectronicallyWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 64.2273.3364.22No earlier reading
Barbados: 73.33 · world median 64.22 · Payments made electronically in a typical month, excluding payroll and payments to government (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 2.172 to 99.91; higher is better.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Barbados does worse than the middle country measured.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.9750.570.975▼ Worsened since 2014
Barbados: 0.57 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 74th of 119 · derived.
Firms Experiencing Internet DisruptionsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.3546.6232.35No earlier reading
Barbados: 46.62 · world median 32.35 · Firms that experienced internet outages or slow-downs (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.735 to 82.39; lower is better.
Position 45th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
GitHub DevelopersGitHub · 2026 · world median 84,67010,66084,670Moved since 2020
Barbados: 10,660 · world median 84,670 · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 110 to 32,410,529.
GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · 2026 · world median 141,45415,006141,454Moved since 2020
Barbados: 15,006 · world median 141,454 · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 142 to 77,284,974.
GitHub Git PushesGitHub · 2025 · world median 148,7148,181148,714No real change since 2020
Barbados: 8,181 · world median 148,714 · Git pushes during the quarter. GitHub, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,967 to 40,768,192.
No current reading for Barbados
AI User Share of the Working-Age Population, Anthropic AI Usage Index, Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports (last 2020), ICT Services Exports (last 2020), Internet Use Among Adults, Made or Received a Digital Payment, Mobile Phone Ownership, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2011) and Smartphone Ownership. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Digital & Technology among Barbados’s 16 topics
Digital & Technology is Barbados’s 15th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Peace & Securityjoint 7th of 1772/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience30th of 1933/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 38th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions45th of 1944/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 54th of 1824/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture58th of 1844/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing78th of 2002/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital79th of 1963/3 keys
- Gender & Equality82nd of 1833/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality76th of 1592/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge107th of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation96th of 1762/4 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 128th of 1773/4 keys
- Energy130th of 1652/3 keys
- Digital & Technology157th of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability174th of 1863/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on digital & technology
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Barbados can most readily be measured against.
=1
EstoniaNorthern Europe
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, greyscale
=1
South KoreaEastern Asia
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
3rd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
Brazil4th4/4 keysHighest in Caribbean
Dominican Republic92nd4/4 keysThis page
Barbados157th3/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Barbados on digital & technology: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Barbados rank on digital & technology?
Barbados is placed 157th of 198 countries on Digital & Technology in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (GovTech Maturity Index, Government AI Readiness Index and Government Cyber Security Capacity). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GovTech Maturity Index figure for Barbados?
0.318 in 2025 (gTMI score (0–1)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.63.
What is the latest Government AI Readiness Index figure for Barbados?
23.33 in 2025 (aI readiness score (0–100)), according to Oxford Insights. The world median in the same edition was 40.19.
How have Barbados’s digital & technology figures changed?
Government AI Readiness Index fell from 40.8 in 2020 to 23.33 in 2025; Government Cyber Security Capacity fell from -0.27 in 2000 to -0.322 in 2025; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports rose from 9.533 in 2010 to 9.929 in 2020.
Which digital & technology statistics are missing for Barbados?
No current reading is published for Barbados on AI User Share of the Working-Age Population, Anthropic AI Usage Index, Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports, ICT Services Exports, Internet Use Among Adults, Made or Received a Digital Payment, Mobile Phone Ownership, Primary Schools with Internet for Teaching, Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes and Smartphone Ownership. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Broadband and mobile subscriptions, connection speeds and the cost of getting online are absent, for the licence reason above; internet use and phone ownership, from the World Bank’s own household survey, and firms’ websites and internet disruptions, from its Enterprise Surveys, are published here as context. The ICT share of goods exports votes under Mobility & Trade. Digital public services and data-protection law are not held yet. Research and development spending is filed under Education & Knowledge, and what an economy knows how to make is under Economy & Innovation.
How the Digital & Technology standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The digital & technology method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- GovTech Maturity Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Government AI Readiness Index — Oxford Insights, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Cyber Security Capacity — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 11 statistics on this page come from 4 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Barbados’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Barbados (banner) — Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter, CC BY 2.0
- Estonia — Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Barbados: Digital & Technology — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/barbados/digital