Map of The Bahamas | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 13,940 km²
Land: 10,070 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the 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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Alvernia 63 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 32%
Other: 67%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Bahamian(s)
Adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: coral reef decay
Current issues 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
International agreements note: Strategic location adjacent to U.S. and Cuba; extensive island chain

Air pollutants

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:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.53 years (1996 est.); 72.12 years (1995 est.)
Male: 67.98 years (1996 est.); 67.37 years (1995 est.)
Female: 77.16 years (1996 est.); 76.97 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1995 est.)
Total population: 98.2%
Male: 98.5%
Female: 98%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Conventional short form: The Bahamas

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from U.K.)

National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: Based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's recommendation

Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament Senate:A 16-member body appointed by the governor general 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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

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

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, 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.

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 3% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products_citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 3% (1990; accounts for 35% of GDP

Labor force: 136,900 (1993)
By occupation Government: 30%
By occupation Tourism: 40%
By occupation Business services: 10%
By occupation Agriculture: 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $665 million (FY95/96); $696 million (FY94/95)
Expenditures: $725 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (FY95/96 est.); $756 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY94/95)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

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:
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports
Total value:
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:

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: 424,000 kW
Production: 929 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 119,000 telephones (1987 est.); totally automatic system; highly developed
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $20 million, 3.8% of GDP (FY95/96; $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

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: 55
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 17

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

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, U.S. 84, Denmark 63, Netherlands 44, Sweden 36, Finland 34, France 29, Japan 29 and Belgium 24 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: Transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for U.S. and Europe; also a money-laundering center