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.

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

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 3,542 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: none

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

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

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber

Land use:

Population: 255,811 (July 1992), growth rate 1.4% (1992)

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

Ethnic groups: black 85%, white 15%

Languages: English; some Creole among Haitian immigrants

Religions:

Birth rate: 19 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Environment
Current issues: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood damage
Current issues note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1992)

Literacy: 90% (male 90%, female 89%) age 15 and over but definition of literacy not

Country name
Conventional long form: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

Government type: commonwealth

Capital: Nassau

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: universal at age 18
House of Assembly: last held 19 June 1987 (next to be held by NA June 1992);

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime

Legislative branch:

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: ACP, C, CCC, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO,
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Margaret E. McDONALD; Chancery at 2,220 Massachusetts
US:

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

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 slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of tourists slowed. Nonetheless, the per capita GDP of $9,900 is one of the highest in the region.
GDP: purchasing power equivalent--$2.5 billion, per capita $9,900; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for less than 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers;

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

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 3% (1990; accounts for 15% of GDP

Labor force: 127,400; government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services
Organized labor: 25% of labor force

Unemployment rate: 16.0% (1991)

Budget: revenues $627.5 million; expenditures $727.5 million, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1992, projected)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.;
Commodoties: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish;
Partners: US 41%, Norway 30%, Denmark 4%

Imports: $1.14 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.;
Commodoties: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels;
Partners: US 35%, Nigeria 21%, Japan 13%, Angola 11%

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

Electricity
Production: 368,000 kw capacity; 857 million kWh produced 3,339 kWh per capita

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion--$65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

Airports: 59 total, 54 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with

Merchant marine:
Civil air: 11 major transport aircraft

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine