The Bahamas
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
commonwealthIndependence 10 July 1973 (from UK)
The Bahamas as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, | southeast of Florida
15 fieldsLand useshare of 13,940 sq km
Terrain
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
- lowest point:
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
- Mount Alvernia 63 m
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, Whaling
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 28% (male 36,331; female 35,771)
- 15-64 years:
- 67% (male 84,107; female 89,193)
- 65 years and over:
- 5% (male 5,449; female 8,516) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.94 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.64 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Commonwealth; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995) who was appointed by the queen; Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since NA) were appointed by the governor general
22 fieldsLegislature, 49 seatsone dot, one seat
Name of country
- conventional long form:
- Commonwealth of The Bahamas
- conventional short form:
- The Bahamas
Administrative divisions
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch, represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995) who was appointed by the queen
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since NA) were appointed by the governor general
- cabinet:
- Cabinet was appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation
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
Political parties and leaders
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM
International organization participation
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, UNMIH, 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
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
- embassy:
- Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau;
- P.O. Box 9009, Miami, FL 33159;
- Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 (pouch)
- telephone:
- [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
Economy
21 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1994)
Installed generating capacity, 424,000 kW
Economic overview
The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. A slowdown in the expansion of the tourism sector - especially stopover travel from Europe - led to a reduction in the country's GDP growth rate in 1995, down to an estimated 2% from 3.5% in 1994.
The construction sector benefited from hotel rehabilitation and the government's ongoing housing development program. Earnings from exports of vegetable and citrus production have been decreasing since 1993 but are expected to increase in 1996 due to storm damage to crops in Florida.
The overall growth prospects through 1996 will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued income growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visits.
Labor force
136,900 (1993); by occupation: government 30%, tourism 40%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)
Industries
tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; also a money-laundering center
Exports
$224.257 million (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products
- partners:
- US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%
Imports
$1.08 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
- commodities:
- foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics
- partners:
- US 55%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 55 in all
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 956 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,592,285 GRT/35,765,965 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 176, cargo 182, chemical tanker 43, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 19, container 53, liquefied gas tanker 20, oil tanker 180, passenger 53, refrigerated cargo 147, roll-on/roll-off cargo 47, short-sea passenger 13, vehicle carrier 14
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 48 countries among which are Norway 155, Greece 124, US 84, Denmark 63, Netherlands 44, Sweden 36, Finland 34, France 29, Japan 29, and Belgium 24 (1995 est.)
Communications
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal | Bahamas Police Force
9 fieldsTelephone system
- domestic:
- totally automatic system; highly developed
- international:
- tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida;
- 3 coaxial submarine cables;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “The Bahamas.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahamas/1996.