The Bahamas

Commonwealth of The Bahamas

commonwealthIndependence 10 July 1973 (from UK)

The Bahamas as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 100 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

Populationas each edition published it

283,705 people July 1999 est. · 246,491 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.36% 1999 est. · 1.62% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 27 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.25 years 1999 est. · 72.02 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.31 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18.38 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 21 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$20,100 1998 est. · $10,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4% 1998 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 exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

63m

Mount Alvernia, on Cat Islandlowest 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, Wetlands
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

283,705

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.36% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

20.58Death

5.43Net migration

-1.55

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)74.25

70.94 · 77.64

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)98.2%

98.5% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 27% (male 39,271; female 38,740)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 92,830; female 96,814)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 6,696; female 9,354) (1999 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:: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

18.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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 Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995); Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)

18 fields

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

-FNM 35PLP 5

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

commonwealth

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 (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 monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch;
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 35, PLP 5

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Liberal Party or PLP 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, OPCW, 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
consulate(s) general:: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Arthur SCHECHTER
embassy:: Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address:: local or express mail address: P.O. Box N-8197, Nassau;
stateside address:
American Embassy Nassau,
P.O. Box 599009,
Miami,
FL 33159-9009
;
pouch address:
Nassau,
Department of State,
Washington,
DC 20521-3370

Flag description

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

Economy

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$20,100

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

0.4%

(1997)

Unemployment rate

(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 3%industry 5%services 92% (1997 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

24.5%

34.9%

24.3%

23.9%

EU (excluding UK)

Japan

15.5%

12.6%

Russia

6.3%

5.6%

Singapore

Exports $300 million (1998)Imports $1.37 billion (1998)(1997)

Budget

Revenues

$766 millionExpenditures

$845 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98)

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

1 billion (1996)

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 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country's GDP by an estimated 4% in 1998.

Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute less than 10% of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. 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 visitors.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$5.63 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

148,000 (1996)

Labor force--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

Agriculture--products

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Exports

$300 million (1998)

Exports--commodities

pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products

Imports

$1.37 billion (1998)

Imports--commodities

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics

Debt--external

$381.7 million (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$9.8 million (1995)

Currency

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1--1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)

Fiscal year

1 July--30 June

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

200,000

(1997 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:: 91,183 telephone subscribers;
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 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

200,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

60,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Merchant marine, 1,079 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,631,924 GRT/41,196,326 DWT

bulk 209cargo 241chemical tanker 43combination bulk 13combination ore/oil 22container 61liquefied gas tanker 34livestock carrier 1oil tanker 170passenger 62passenger-cargo 1railcar carrier 1refrigerated cargo 140roll-on/roll-off cargo 48short-sea passenger 12specialized tanker 2vehicle carrier 19note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 49 countries among which are Norway 177, Greece 141, UK 113, US 61, Denmark 39, Finland 27, Japan 25, Sweden 24, France 22, and Italy 22 (1998 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 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: 13

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Networkskm

Highways

2,693Railways

Highways: paved: 1,546 km · unpaved: 1,147 km (1997 est.)