The Bahamas
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realmIndependence 10 July 1973 (from the UK)
The Bahamas as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 149 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas has prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Geography
Chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
19 fieldsLand useshare of 13,880 sq km
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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 of which 30 are inhabited
People and Society
29 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Religions(2000 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.62 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Government
Constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 8 May 2011)
21 fieldsLegislature, 38 seats, elected 7 May 2012one dot, one seat
Capital
- name:
- Nassau
- geographic coordinates:
- 25 05 N, 77 21 W
- time difference:
- UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
- daylight saving time:
- +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions
31 districts; Acklins Islands, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Central Abaco, Central Andros, Central Eleuthera, City of Freeport, Crooked Island and Long Cay, East Grand Bahama, Exuma, Grand Cay, Harbour Island, Hope Town, Inagua, Long Island, Mangrove Cay, Mayaguana, Moore's Island, North Abaco, North Andros, North Eleuthera, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, South Abaco, South Andros, South Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, West Grand Bahama
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Arthur A. FOULKES (since 14 April 2010)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 8 May 2011)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor general appointed by the monarch;
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general;
- the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch
- bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms);
- the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time
- elections:
- last held on 7 May 2012 (next to be held by May 2017)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 9
Judicial branch
- Privy Council in London;
- Courts of Appeal;
- Supreme (lower) Court;
- Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert MINNIS]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
International organization participation
ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant)
- chancery:
- 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 319-2660
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 319-2668
- consulate(s) general:
- Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires John DINKELMAN
- embassy:
- 42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence
- mailing address:
- local or express mail address:
- P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370
- telephone:
- [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
- FAX:
- [1] (242) 328-2206
Flag description
- three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side;
- the band colors represent the golden beaches of the islands surrounded by the aquamarine sea;
- black represents the vigor and force of a united people, while the pointing triangle indicates the enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people to develop the rich resources of land and sea
National anthem
- name:
- "March On, Bahamaland!"
- lyrics/music:
- Timothy GIBSON
note: adopted 1973; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy
The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking.
34 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Economy - overview
The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force.
Prior to 2006, a steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to solid GDP growth but since then tourism receipts have begun to drop off. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when combined with business services, account for about 36% of GDP. However, the financial sector currently is smaller than it has been in the past because of the enactment of new and stricter financial regulations in 2000 that caused many international businesses to relocate elsewhere.
Manufacturing and agriculture combined contribute approximately a 10th of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. The Bahamas since 2008 has been hard hit by the global economic crisis; the economy contracted in 2008 and 2009 and growth remains slow.
Central bank discount rate
4% (31 December 2011 est.) · 5.25% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Commercial bank prime lending rate
5.5% (31 December 2012 est.) · 5.06% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Stock of narrow money
$1.436 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.435 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Stock of broad money
$6.482 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $6.104 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Stock of domestic credit
$9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $8.511 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Current account balance
-$1.139 billion (2012 est.) · -$1.091 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Exports - commodities
mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.095 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.07 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Debt - external
$16.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $14.93 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Exchange rates
Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2012 est.) · 1 (2011 est.) · 1 (2010 est.) · 1 (2008) · 1 (2007)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 493,000 kW(2009 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
5.573 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern facilities
- domestic:
- totally automatic system;
- highly developed;
- the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband Internet services
- international:
- country code - 1-242;
- landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)
Broadcast media
- 2 TV stations operated by government-owned, commercially run Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB);
- multi-channel cable TV subscription service is available;
- about 15 radio stations operating with BCB operating a multi-channel radio broadcasting network alongside privately-owned radio stations (2007)
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 1,160 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Military
Royal Bahamas Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2011)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
17 1/2-25 years of age for voluntary male and female service; no conscription (2012)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
disagrees with the US on the alignment of the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahamas, The.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahamas/2012.