Map of The Bahamas | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973 The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. By the early 1980s the islands had become a major center for drug trafficking particularly shipments to the US.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain: long, flat, coral formations with some low, rounded hills

Elevation

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber

Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 32% forest and woodland; 67% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain


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Population: 247,158 (July 1989), growth rate 1.7% (1989)

Nationality: noun--Bahamian(s; adjective--Bahamian

Ethnic groups: 85% black, 15% white

Languages

Religions: Baptist 29%, Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 22%, smaller groups of other Protestants, Greek Orthodox, and Jews

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 23 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 74 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 95% (1986)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

Government type: independent commonwealth recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Capital: Nassau

Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Abaco, Acklins Island, Andros Island, Berry Islands, Biminis, Cat Island, Cay Lobos, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, Inagua, Long Cay, Long Island, Mayaguana, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Spanish Wells

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Acting Governor General Sir Henry TAYLOR (since NA June 1988; @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Sir Lynden Oscar PINDLING (since 16 January 1967)

Legislative branch: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (a coast guard element only), Royal Bahamas Police Force

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CARICOM, CCC, CDB, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAS, PAHO, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Margaret E. MCDONALD; Chancery at Suite 865, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,037; telephone (202) 944-3,390; there are Bahamian Consulates General in Miami and New York; US--Ambassador Carol Boyd HALLETT; Embassy at Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau (mailing address is P. O. Box N-8,197, Nassau; telephone (809) 322-1181 or 328-2,206

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Bahamas is a stable, middle-income 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 boomed in recent years, aided by a steady annual increase in the number of tourists. The per capita GDP of over $9,500 is one of the highest in the region.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 132,600; 30% government, 25% hotels and restaurants, 10% business services, 5% agriculture (1986)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1986)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $462 million; expenditures $468 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1987)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $273 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish
Partners: US 90%, UK 10%

Imports: $1.0 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels
Partners: Iran 30%, Nigeria 20%, US 10%, EC 10%, Gabon 10%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $186 million (December 1987)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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


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Electricity
Capacity: 357,000 kW capacity; 828 million kWh produced, 3,350 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 59 total, 57 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 24 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 423 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,576,038 GRT/16,278,635 DWT; includes 24 passenger, 12 short-sea passenger, 94 cargo, 25 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 35 refrigerated cargo, 7 container, 5 car carrier, 98 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 22 combination ore/oil, 26 chemical tanker, 69 bulk; note--a flag of convenience registry

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs