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. Piracy thrived in the 17th and 18th centuries because of The Bahamas close proximity to shipping lanes. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking, and investment management, which comprise up to 85% of GDP. Because of its proximity to the US - the nearest Bahamian landmass being only 80 km (50 mi) from Florida - the country is a major transshipment point for illicit trafficking, particularly to the US mainland, as well as Europe. US law enforcement agencies cooperate closely with The Bahamas, and the US Coast Guard assists Bahamian authorities in coastal defense through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or OPBAT.


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Location: 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
Land: 10,010 km²
Water: 3,870 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: 1.3 km NE of Old Bight on Cat Island 64 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 1.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0.2% (2018 est.)
Forest: 51.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 47.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 31 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

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
Distribution: most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located: 352,655 (July 2021 est.)
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: 0.84% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 9.3% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Bahamian(s)
Adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups: African descent 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)
Note: data represent population by racial group

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

Religions: Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant .9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 38,811/female 37,719)
15-24 years: 14.91% (male 26,636/female 25,945)
25-54 years: 43.56% (male 76,505/female 77,119)
55-64 years: 10.75% (male 17,508/female 20,391)
65 years and over: 9.08% (male 12,587/female 19,434) (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 41.5
Youth dependency ratio: 30.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 11
Potential support ratio: 9.1 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.8 years
Male: 31.7 years
Female: 34 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.84% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 14.78 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 6.34 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located

Urbanization
Urban population: 83.4% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 280,000 NASSAU (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 17.56 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.79 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.23 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 70 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.05 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 13.49 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.6 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.87 years
Male: 72.93 years
Female: 78.9 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Improved: total: 98.9% of population
Unimproved: total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 6.3% (2018)

Physicians density: 2.01 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved: total: 98.2% of population
Unimproved: total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2020 est.)
People living with hivaids: 4,700 (2020 est.)
Deaths: <200 (2018)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 31.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2020)

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 25.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 20.8%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 31.6% (2016 est.)


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Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Conventional short form: The Bahamas
Etymology: name derives from the Spanish 'baha mar,' meaning 'shallow sea,' which describes the shallow waters of the Bahama Banks

Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; 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
Etymology: named after William III (1650-1702), king of England, Scotland, and Ireland, who was a member of the House of Nassau

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
History: previous 1964 (preindependence); latest adopted 20 June 1973, effective 10 July 1973
Amendments: proposed as an 'Act' by Parliament; passage of amendments to articles such as the organization and composition of the branches of government requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the membership of both houses of Parliament and majority approval in a referendum; passage of amendments to constitutional articles such as fundamental rights and individual freedoms, the powers, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, or changes to the Bahamas Independence Act 1973 requires approval by at least three-fourths majority of the membership of both houses and majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2016

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: at least one parent must be a citizen of The Bahamas
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 6-9 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cornelius A. SMITH (since 28 June 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Philip DAVIS (since 17 September 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister
Elections and appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve 5-year terms)
House of Assembly (39 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last appointments on 24 May 2017 (next appointments in 2022)
House of Assembly - last held on 16 September 2021 (next to be held by September 2026)
Election results: Senate - appointed; composition - men 9, women 7, percent of women 43.8%
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, FNM 36.2%; seats by party - PLP 32, FNM 7; composition 
Note: the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices, organized in 3-member panels); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and a maximum of 11 and a minimum of 2 justices)
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition party; other Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, a 5-member body headed by the chief justice; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 68 but can be extended until age 70; Supreme Court justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65 but can be extended until age 67
Subordinate courts: Industrial Tribunal; Stipendiary and Magistrates' Courts; Family Island Administrators
Note: the Bahamas is a member of the 15-member Caribbean Community but is not party to the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice as its highest appellate court;  the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas

Political parties and leaders: Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Christopher MORTIMER, interim leader]
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert MINNIS]
Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Philip 'Brave' DAVIS]

International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), 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 Sidney Stanley COLLIE (since 29 November 2017)
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 email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Usha E. PITTS (since 1 January 2021)
From the us embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
From the us mailing address: 3,370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20,521-3,370
From the us telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181
From the us FAX: [1] (242) 356-7,174
From the us email address and website:

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, Yellow Elder flower; national colors: aquamarine, yellow, black

National anthem
Name: March On, Bahamaland!
Lyrics and 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)

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.4% (2017 est.)

-1.7% (2016 est.)

1% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 68% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 13% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.7% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 33.7% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -41.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 7.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 90% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar cane, grapefruit, vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, poultry, tropical fruit, oranges, coconuts, mangoes/guavas

Industries: tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment and logistics, salt, aragonite, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 196,900 (2013 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 11%
By occupation services: 49%
By occupation tourism: 37% (2011 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.1% (2017 est.)

12.2% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 25.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 20.8%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 31.6% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line: 9.3% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1%
Highest 10: 22% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $2.139 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $2.46 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 17.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 54.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

50.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.4% (2017 est.)

-0.3% (2016 est.)

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: -$1.909 billion (2017 est.)

-$868 million (2016 est.)

Exports: $1.69 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$5.14 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$4.75 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Poland 32%, United States 17%, Ecuador 9%, China 6%, Japan 5% (2019)
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, crustaceans, styrene polymers (2019)

Imports: $3.64 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$4.91 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$5.12 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: United States 31%, South Korea 29%, Japan 14% (2019)
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, recreational boats, cars (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.522 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.002 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $17.56 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$16.35 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 1.778 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 1.654 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 577,000 kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 20,040 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 19,150 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 48,020 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 48,020 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 91,129 (2019)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23.4 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 425,507 (2019)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109.3 (2019 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: The Bahamas has 4 major TV providers that provide service to all major islands in the archipelago; 1 TV station is operated by government-owned, commercially run Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) and competes freely with 4 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is widely available; there are 32 licensed broadcast (radio) service providers, 31 are privately owned FM radio stations operating on New Providence, Grand Bahama Island, Abaco Island, and on smaller islands in the country; the BCB operates a multi-channel radio broadcasting network that has national coverage; the sector is regulated by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (2019)

Internet
Country code: .bs
Users total: 335,800 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 85% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 82,295 (2019)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21.13 (2019 est.)


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Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2020)

0.7% of GDP (2019)

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military and security forces: Royal Bahamas Defense Force: includes land, air, maritime elements (2021)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary male and female service; no conscription (2021)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 5 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 35
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,197,116 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 160,000 mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: C6

Airports
Total: 54 (2020)
With paved runways total: 24
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 37
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 17 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,700 km (2011)
Paved: 1,620 km (2011)
Unpaved: 1,080 km (2011)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1,323
By type: bulk carrier 333, container ship 45, general cargo 64, oil tanker 224, other 657 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point
Cruiseport(s): Nassau
Container ports teus: Freeport (1,396,568) (2019)


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for illegal drugs bound for the United States; illicit production of marijuana continues