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

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Background: 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.


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Location: Caribbean chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean southeast of Florida northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates: 24 15 N 76 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 13,880 km²
Rank: 161
Land: 10,010 km²
Water: 3,870 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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 on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt aragonite timber arable land

Land use
Arable land: 0.58%
Permanent crops: 0.29%
Other: 99.13% (2005)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: NA

Natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

Geography
Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited


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Population: 313,312 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 178
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Growth rate: 0.922% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 122
Below poverty line: 9.3% (2004)

Nationality
Noun: Bahamian
Adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups: black 85% white 12% Asian and Hispanic 3%

Languages: English (official) Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Religions: Protestant 67.6% (Baptist 35.4% Anglican 15.1% Pentecostal 8.1% Church of God 4.8% Methodist 4.2%) Roman Catholic 13.5% other Christian 15.2% none or unspecified 2.9% other 0.8% (2000 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.4%
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 106,882/female 110,081)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,578/female 12,222) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 30.2 years
Male: 29.1 years
Female: 31.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.922% (2011 est.)
Rank: 122

Birth rate: 16.1 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 127

Death rate: 6.88 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 141

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 74

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 84% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/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.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.49 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 127
Male: 13.29 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 13.69 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.18 years
Rank: 140
Male: 68.8 years
Female: 73.63 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 128

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.05 physicians/1000 population (1998)
Rank: 102

Hospital bed density: 3.1 beds/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 72

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 23
People living with hivaids: 6,600 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 114
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 81

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.6%
Male: 94.7%
Female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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

Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: common law system based on the English model

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor General Sir Arthur A. FOULKES (since 14 April 2010)
Head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation
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 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86% PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23 PLP 18

Judicial branch: Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders: Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

International organization participation: ACP AOSIS C Caricom CDB 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 Cornelius A. SMITH
In the us chancery: 2,220 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 319-2,660
In the us fax: [1] (202) 319-2,668
In the us consulate general: Miami New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nicole A. AVANT
From the us embassy: 42 Queen Street Nassau New Providence
From the us mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8,197 Nassau; US Department of State 3,370 Nassau Place Washington DC 20,521-3,370
From the us telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181 328-2,206 (after hours)
From the us fax: [1] (242) 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; 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 symbols: blue marlin; flamingo

National anthem
Name: 'March On Bahamaland!'
Lyricsmusic: 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)

National heritage


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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. The global recession in 2009 took a sizeable toll on the Bahamas resulting in a contraction in GDP and a widening budget deficit. The decline continued in 2010 as tourism from the US and sector investment lagged. 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 tenth of GDP and show little growth despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 152
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 181

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 49
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.6%
Industry: 8.1%
Services: 90.4% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: citrus vegetables; poultry

Industries: tourism banking cement oil transshipment salt rum aragonite pharmaceuticals spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 184,000 (2009)
Rank: 173
By occupation agriculture: 5%
By occupation industry: 5%
By occupation tourism: 50%
By occupation other services: 40% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2006 est.)
Rank: 81

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 9.3% (2004)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: 27% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.3 billion
Expenditures: $1.3 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 121

Taxes and other revenues: 17.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 176

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 36

Central bank discount rate: 5.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 70

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 155

Stock of narrow money: $1.252 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 132

Stock of broad money: $5.99 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 116

Stock of domestic credit: $7.993 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 99

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$893.3 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 136

Exports: $710.7 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 162
Commodities: mineral products and salt animal products rum chemicals fruit and vegetables
Partners: US 35.9% Singapore 18.1% Germany 15.6% Dominican Republic 7.9% (2010)

Imports: $2.535 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 147
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactures chemicals mineral fuels; food and live animals
Partners: US 23.6% Venezuela 19.3% South Korea 11.3% France 8% India 7.5% Japan 6.7% Singapore 5.4% China 4.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $342.6 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 172

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 1.945 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 136
Consumption: 1.907 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 138
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 155
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 149
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 59
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 86
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 112

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 129,300 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 142
Mobile cellular: 428,400 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 168

Telephone 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 television 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)

Internet
Country code: .bs
Hosts: 21,939 (2010)
Hosts rank: 107
Users: 115,800 (2009)
Users rank: 156

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 151

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age; no conscription (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 62 (2010)
Rank: 78
With paved runways total: 23
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 39
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 22 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,717 km
Rank: 169
Paved: 1560 km
Unpaved: 1157 km (2002)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1170
Rank: 10
By type: barge carrier 1 bulk carrier 229 cargo 191 carrier 2 chemical tanker 80 combination ore/oil 8 container 50 liquefied gas 78 passenger 100 passenger/cargo 29 petroleum tanker 222 refrigerated cargo 106 roll on/roll off 12 specialized tanker 2 vehicle carrier 60
Foreign owned: 1080 (Angola 5 Belgium 9 Bermuda 12 Brazil 1 Canada 102 China 4 Croatia 1 Cyprus 14 Denmark 59 Finland 8 France 19 Germany 39 Greece 209 Guernsey 6 Hong Kong 2 Indonesia 2 Ireland 3 Italy 5 Japan 93 Jordan 2 Kuwait 2 Malaysia 13 Monaco 14 Montenegro 2 Netherlands 22 Nigeria 2 Norway 198 Poland 32 Saudi Arabia 16 Singapore 7 Slovenia 1 Spain 9 Sweden 6 Switzerland 2 Thailand 4 Trinidad and Tobago 1 Turkey 3 UAE 27 UK 24 US 100)
Note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state
Registered in other countries: 10 (Bolivia 1 Malta 1 Panama 7 Peru 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Freeport Nassau South Riding Point


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Disputes international: disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center