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 have 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.

Geographic coordinates: 24 15 N 76 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 13,880 km²
Rank: 160
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 (2003)

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

Population: 309,156
Rank: 176
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 (July 2009 est.)
Growth rate: 0.536% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 152
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: Baptist 35.4% Anglican 15.1% Roman Catholic 13.5% Pentecostal 8.1% Church of God 4.8% Methodist 4.2% other Christian 15.2% none or unspecified 2.9% other 0.8% (2000 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.9%
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 102,154/female 105,482)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 8,772/female 12,704) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.7 years
Male: 27.9 years
Female: 29.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.536% (2009 est.)
Rank: 152

Birth rate: 16.81 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 125

Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 77

Net migration rate: -2.13 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 139

Urbanization
Urban population: 84% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 23.17 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 93
Male: 28.21 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 18.04 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.78 years
Rank: 164
Male: 62.63 years
Female: 68.98 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 121

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 24
People living with hivaids: 6,200 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 118
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 126

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2000)
Rank: 125

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

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: 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 Nichollstown and Berry Islands Ragged Island Rock Sound Sandy Point San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II ; represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)
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 monarch 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 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 C Caricom CDB FAO G-77 IADB IBRD ICAO ICCt (signatory) ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM ITSO ITU LAES MIGA NAM OAS OPANAL OPCW (signatory) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU 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 Ned L. SIEGEL
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

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. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels resorts and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006 and will likely drop even further in 2009. Tourism in turn depends on growth in the US the source of more than 80% of the visitors. To help offset the effect of the global economic downturn particularly on employment the INGRAHAM administration plans to engage in infrastructure projects. 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 since December 2000 when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector many international businesses have left The Bahamas. 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 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 210

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 44
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 7%
Services: 90% (2001 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: 175,500 (2007)
Rank: 168
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: 99

Population below poverty line: 9.3% (2004)

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

Budget
Revenues: $1.03 billion
Expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.4% (2007 est.)
Rank: 22

Central bank discount rate: 5.25% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 81

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.5% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 138

Stock of domestic credit: $7.395 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 77

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$1.442 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 130

Exports: $674 million (2006)
Rank: 159
Commodities: mineral products and salt animal products rum chemicals fruit and vegetables
Partners: US 21.6% Singapore 19% Poland 18.2% Germany 7.7% Japan 7.5% (2008)

Imports: $2.401 billion (2006)
Rank: 145
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactures chemicals mineral fuels; food and live animals
Partners: US 25.1% South Korea 18.8% Japan 16.4% Singapore 7.3% Venezuela 5% (2008)

Debt external: $342.6 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 171

Exchange rates: Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.) 1 (2007) 1 (2006) 1 (2005) 1 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 2.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 134
Consumption: 1.902 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 135
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 205
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 113
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 53
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 79
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 203

Telephones
Main lines in use: 133,000 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 138
Mobile cellular: 358,000 (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 164

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)

Internet
Country code: .bs
Hosts: 8,325 (2009)
Hosts rank: 122
Users: 106,500 (2008)
Users rank: 151

Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 160

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Airports: 62 (2009)
Rank: 79
With paved runways total: 23
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6 (2009)
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 (2009)

Heliports: 1 (2009)

Roadways
Total: 2,717 km
Rank: 168
Paved: 1560 km
Unpaved: 1157 km (2002)

Merchant marine
Total: 1223
Rank: 6
By type: barge carrier 1 bulk carrier 210 cargo 226 carrier 2 chemical tanker 88 combination ore/oil 12 container 65 liquefied gas 77 passenger 109 passenger/cargo 35 petroleum tanker 209 refrigerated cargo 119 roll on/roll off 16 specialized tanker 3 vehicle carrier 51
Foreign owned: 1150 (Angola 6 Belgium 15 Bermuda 12 Brazil 2 Canada 84 China 10 Croatia 1 Cuba 1 Cyprus 25 Denmark 67 Finland 9 France 30 Germany 44 Greece 209 Hong Kong 30 Iceland 1 Indonesia 2 Ireland 2 Isle of Man 1 Italy 4 Japan 87 Jordan 2 Kenya 1 Malaysia 13 Monaco 15 Montenegro 2 Netherlands 9 Nigeria 2 Norway 189 Poland 17 Russia 4 Saudi Arabia 16 Singapore 17 Slovenia 1 South Africa 1 Spain 14 Sweden 4 Switzerland 1 Thailand 5 Trinidad and Tobago 1 Turkey 8 UAE 23 UK 56 US 106 Venezuela 1)
Registered in other countries: 12 (Bolivia 1 Panama 9 Peru 1 Portugal 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Freeport Nassau South Riding Point

Disputes international: disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian and Cuban refugees in Bahamian waters

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