Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Barbados
Barbados: Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) was 1.26 in 2017. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Barbados, 1967–2017
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
In 2017, total reserves in months of imports in Barbados stood at 1.26.
That represents a change of down 25.4% on the previous year and down 66.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Barbados peaked at 5.29 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.15, in 1991.
Barbados ranks 158th of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Barbados, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1.19 | — |
| 1968 | 1.77 | +48.1% |
| 1969 | 1.21 | -31.4% |
| 1970 | 1.34 | +11.0% |
| 1971 | 1.44 | +7.3% |
| 1972 | 1.88 | +30.5% |
| 1973 | 1.88 | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 2.05 | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 1.89 | -7.8% |
| 1976 | 1.22 | -35.6% |
| 1977 | 1.41 | +15.4% |
| 1978 | 1.95 | +38.4% |
| 1979 | 1.65 | -15.2% |
| 1980 | 1.56 | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 1.79 | +15.0% |
| 1982 | 2.18 | +21.9% |
| 1983 | 2.02 | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 2.03 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 2.28 | +11.9% |
| 1986 | 2.4 | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 2.44 | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 2.13 | -12.5% |
| 1989 | 1.52 | -29.0% |
| 1990 | 1.52 | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.15 | -24.1% |
| 1992 | 2.29 | +98.7% |
| 1993 | 2.16 | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 2.62 | +21.4% |
| 1995 | 2.4 | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 2.92 | +21.7% |
| 1997 | 2.35 | -19.5% |
| 1998 | 3.1 | +31.6% |
| 1999 | 2.39 | -23.0% |
| 2000 | 3.45 | +44.8% |
| 2001 | 5.29 | +53.2% |
| 2002 | 5 | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 4.89 | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.4 | -30.4% |
| 2005 | 3.09 | -9.1% |
| 2006 | 2.94 | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 3.73 | +26.9% |
| 2008 | 3.09 | -17.2% |
| 2009 | 4.19 | +35.8% |
| 2010 | 3.96 | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 3.61 | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 3.69 | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 2.81 | -23.7% |
| 2014 | 2.46 | -12.5% |
| 2015 | 2.42 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 1.68 | -30.4% |
| 2017 | 1.26 | -25.4% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 1.26 is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.58, 35% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 1.26 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 4.12, 30% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.39 | 1.19 | 1.77 | 3 |
| 1970s | 1.67 | 1.22 | 2.05 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.04 | 1.52 | 2.44 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.29 | 1.15 | 3.1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.91 | 2.94 | 5.29 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.74 | 1.26 | 3.96 | 8 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More financial sector data for Barbados
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0022 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 61.36 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 44.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0022 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 61.36 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in Barbados?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Barbados was 1.26 in 2017, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 5.29 in 2001.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.15 in 1991.
- How does Barbados rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Barbados ranks 158th out of 179 countries with data for 2017.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].