The Bahamas

commonwealthIndependence 10 July 1973 (from UK)

The Bahamas as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 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

Position24 15 N, 76 00 W

Area13,940 sq km

LocationCaribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

275,941 people July 1997 est. · 246,491 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.41% 1997 est. · 1.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.75 years 1997 est. · 72.02 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.36 children per woman 1997 est. · 1.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

19.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 21 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$18,700 1995 est. · $10,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2% 1995 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 13,940 sq km

arable land 1%permanent pastures 0%forests and woodland 32%other 67% (1993 est.)permanent crops 0% in all

Area

13,940sq km

land: 10,070 sq kmwater : 3,870 sq kmslightly smaller than Connecticut

Coastline

3,542km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation (measured from the archipelagic straight baselines)exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

63m

Mount Alvernialowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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

Natural hazards

hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

People

15 fields

Population

275,941

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.41% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

21.47Death

5.45Net migration

-1.88

Religions

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

Literacy

98.2%

definition: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not availablemale: 98.5%female: 98% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 28% (male 39,280; female 38,755)
15-64 years:: 66% (male 89,483; female 93,479) 65 years and over : 6% (male 6,209; female 8,735) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 73.75 years
male:: 70.36 years
female :: 77.2 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahamian(s)
adjective:: Bahamian

Languages

English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Government

Commonwealth; Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995); Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)

20 fields

Legislature, 40 seats, elected 14 March 1997one dot, one seat

FNM 34PLP 6

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

commonwealth

National capital

Nassau

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

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 of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995)
head of government:: Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation
elections :: none;
the queen is a hereditary monarch;
governor general appointed by the queen;
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for a five-year term) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FNM 34, PLP 6

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]; Free National Movement or 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, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Arlington Griffith BUTLER
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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
embassy:: Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address:: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau;
American Embassy, Nassau, P.O. Box 9009, Miami, FL 33159;
Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 (pouch)
telephone:: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206

FAX

[1] (242) 328-7838

Flag description

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 with an | economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking.

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Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

2.1%

(1995)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1995 est.)

Labor force

136,900

(1993)by occupation : government 30%, tourism 40%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 3%industry 6%services 91% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$665 millionExpenditures

$725 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $94 million (FY95/96 est.)

Economy - 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 were expected to increase in 1996 due to storm damage to crops in Florida.

Overall growth prospects in the short run 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $18,700 (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

267,000 kW (1993)

Electricity - production

874 million kWh (1993)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,717 kWh (1993)

Agriculture - products

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Exports

total value:: $267.5 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products
partners:: US 24%, Spain 14%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value :: $1.17 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics
partners :: US 29%, Finland 10%, Iran 10%, Denmark 8%

Debt - external

$393 million (1995)

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (February 1997; fixed rate)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

119,000

(1987 est.)

Telephone 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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

200,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1986 est.)

Televisions

60,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Merchant marine, 988 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,690,478 GRT/37,428,826 DWT

bulk 176cargo 205chemical tanker 41combination bulk 7combination ore/oil 23container 56liquefied gas tanker 21oil tanker 184passenger 47refrigerated cargo 150roll-on/roll-off cargo 53short-sea passenger 11vehicle carrier 14note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 46 countries among which are Norway 157, Greece 146, UK 128, US 69, Denmark 51, Sweden 34, Finland 32, Belgium 29, Japan 27, and Monaco 27; Bahamas owns 10 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 256,379 DWT that operate under Panamanian and Cypriot registry (1996 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

total

47under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 12

Networkskm

Highways

2,450Railways

Highways: paved: 1,406 km · unpaved: 1,044 km (1995 est.)