The Bahamas

Commonwealth of The Bahamas

commonwealthIndependence 10 July 1973 (from UK)

The Bahamas as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNassau

Area13,940 sq km

LocationCaribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

256,616 people July 1995 est. · 246,491 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.09% 1995 est. · 1.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.12 years 1995 est. · 72.02 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.01 children per woman 1995 est. · 1.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

24.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 21 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$15,900 1994 est. · $10,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.5% 1994 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, | southeast of Florida

14 fields

Land useshare of 13,940 sq km

arable land 1%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 32%other 67%permanent crops 0% in all

Area

13,940sq km

land area: 10,070 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut

Coastline

3,542km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 3 nm

Location

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida

Climate

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Environment

current issues:: coral reef decay
natural hazards:: hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Note

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

People

15 fields

Population

256,616

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.09% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

19.23Death

5.79Net migration

-2.56

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years72.12

67.37 · 76.97

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy90%

90% · 89%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1963 est.)

Religions

Baptist 32%Anglican 20%Roman Catholic 19%Methodist 6%Church of God 6%other Protestant 12%none or unknown 3%other 2%

Labor force

136,900

(1993)by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 28% (female 35,924; male 36,504)
15-64 years:: 66% (female 87,868; male 82,780)
65 years and over:: 6% (female 8,247; male 5,293) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahamian(s)
adjective:: Bahamian

Languages

English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Government

Commonwealth; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992); Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992)

22 fields

Legislature, 49 seatsone dot, one seat

FNM 32PLP 17

Names

conventional long form:: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form:: The Bahamas

21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence

10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday

National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution

10 July 1973

Legal system

based on English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992)
head of government:: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992)
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's recommendation

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Senate

a 16-member body appointed by the governor general

House of Assembly

elections last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held by August 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (49 total) FNM 32, PLP 17

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM;

Member of

ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON
chancery:: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 319-2660

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2668; consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
embassy:: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address:: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau
telephone:: [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206

FAX

[1] (809) 328-7838

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation whose economy is | based primarily on tourism and offshore banking.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$15,900

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

3.5%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

2.7%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

13.1%

(1993)

Budget

Revenues

$696 millionExpenditures

$756 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)

Installed generating capacity, 424,000 kW

Electricity production

929 millionElectricity consumption per capita

3,200 (1993)

Overview

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation whose economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about 50,000 people or 40% of the local work force. The economy has slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of tourists slowed. Nonetheless, per capita GDP is one of the highest in the region.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$257 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products
partners:: US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%

Imports

$1.15 billion (f.o.b,,1993 est.)

commodities:: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics
partners:: US 55%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%

External debt

$455 million (December 1993)

Industries

tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe

Agriculture

accounts for 5% of GDP;
dominated by small-scale producers;
principal products - citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry;
large net importer of food

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; also a money-laundering center

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million

Currency

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 60 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,400Railroads

Highways: paved: 1,350 km · unpaved: gravel 1,050 km

Highways

total:: 2,400 km
paved:: 1,350 km
unpaved:: gravel 1,050 km

Ports

Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine

total:: 936 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,815,474 GRT/35,253,416 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 162, cargo 181, chemical tanker 39, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 19, container 52, liquefied gas tanker 20, oil tanker 182, passenger 55, refrigerated cargo 146, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 16, vehicle carrier 12

note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 46 countries among which are UK 158 ships, Norway 125, Greece 100, US 94, Denmark 80, Netherlands 53, France 36, Finland 35, Japan 35, Sweden 25

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

99,000 telephones;
totally automatic system;
highly developed

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida;
3 coaxial submarine cables;
1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station