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 international banking and investment management. Because of its location 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
Land: 10,010 km²
Water: 3,870 km²
Rank: 161
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
Agricultural land: 1.4%
Forest: 51.4%
Other: 47.2%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 0.02 km³ (2011)

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: 324,597
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
Rank: 180
Growth rate: 0.85% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 129
Below poverty line: 9.3% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Bahamian
Adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups: black 90.6% white 4.7% black and white 2.1% other 1.9% unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)

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%) Roman Catholic 12% other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%) other 0.6% none 1.9% unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.98%
15-24 years: 17.15%
25-54 years: 44.08%
55-64 years: 8.58%
65 years and over: 7.21% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 41.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 29.6%
Elderly dependency ratio: 11.7%
Potential support ratio: 8.5%

Median age
Total: 31.5 years
Male: 30.4 years
Female: 32.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2015 est.)
Rank: 129

Birth rate: 15.5 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 127

Death rate: 7.05 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 133

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 108

Urbanization
Urban population: 82.9% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.53% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: NASSAU (capital) 267,000 (2014)

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: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male/female
25-54 years: 1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.81 male/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.92 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 11.75 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.1 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 124

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.2 years
Male: 69.77 years
Female: 74.7 years
Rank: 142

Total fertility rate: 1.96 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 129

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.82 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 2.9 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.22% (2013 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 19
People living with hivaids: 7,700 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 103
Deaths: 500 (2013 est.)
Deaths rank: 85

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 36.6% (2014)
Rank: 13

Education expenditures: NA

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: constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital
Name: Nassau
Geographic coordinates: 25 05 N 77 21 W
Time difference: UTC-5
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

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 10 July (1973)

Constitution: previous 1964 (preindependence); latest adopted 20 June 1973 effective 10 July 1973; amended many times last in 2012 (2015)

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 descent only: 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 ; represented by Governor General Dame Marguerite PINDLING (since 8 July 2014)
Head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; 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 the Senate and the House of Assembly (38 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time
Elections: last held on 7 May 2012
Election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 48.6% FNM 42.1% DNA 8.5% other.8%; seats by party - PLP 29 FNM 9

Judicial branch
Highest resident court: The Bahamas Court of Appeal ; Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices – as of 2015)
Note: as of 2008 the Bahamas was not a party to the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice as the highest appellate court for the 15-member Caribbean Community ; the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas
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

Political parties and leaders:

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 Dr. Eugene Glenwood NEWRY
In the us chancery: 2,220 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 319-2,660
In the us FAX: [1] 319-2,668
In the us consulate general: Atlanta Miami New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d' Affaires Lisa A. JOHNSON (since 9 July 2014
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] 322-1181 328-2,206 (after hours)
From the us FAX: [1] 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 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

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. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and when combined with business services account for about 35% of GDP. Manufacturing and agriculture combined contribute less than one 10th of GDP and show little growth despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. The economy of The Bahamas shrank at an average pace of 0.8% annually between 2007 and 2011 and tourism financial services and construction - pillars of the national economy - remain subdued. Conditions are improving in the tourism sector however due to steady foreign investment led activity. New resort and marina developments are likely to provide sustained employment opportunities.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 160

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 181

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 72

Gross national saving:
Rank: 159

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 72.5%
Government consumption: 15.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 27.7%
Investment in inventories: 1.1%
Exports of goods and services: 43.9%
Imports of goods and services: -60.9%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.1%
Industry: 7.3%
Services: 90.6%

Agriculture products: citrus vegetables; poultry

Industries: tourism banking oil bunkering maritime industries transshipment salt rum aragonite pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 120

Labor force: 196,900 (2013 est.)
Rank: 171
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 11%
By occupation tourism: 49%
By occupation other services: 37%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 153

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1%
Highest 10: 22%

Budget
Revenues: $1.6 billion
Expenditures: $1.7 billion
Surplus or deficit: -1.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 71

Taxes and other revenues: 18.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 174

Public debt:
Rank: 60

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 75

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 82

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 152

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 130

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 121

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 106

Market value of publicly traded shares: $2.78 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 96

Current account balance:
Rank: 143

Exports:
Rank: 163
Commodities: crawfish aragonite crude salt polystyrene products
Partners: Cote d'Ivoire 20.5% US 14.7% India 13.4% Dominican Republic 10.6% Mexico 6.9% Ecuador 4.9% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 144
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactures chemicals mineral fuels; food and live animals
Partners: US 30.8% Japan 11.4% Singapore 9.4% South Korea 7.7% Colombia 7.4% China 6.8% Brazil 5.6% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 136

Debt external:
Rank: 90

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 1.845 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 140
Consumption: 1.716 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 144
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 106
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 121
Installed generating capacity: 493,000 kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 142
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 5
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 50
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 162
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 157

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 110
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 100
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 161
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 109

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 158
Products consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 124
Products exports: 41,650 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 61
Products imports: 64,430 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 71

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 159
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 119
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 62
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 162
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 114

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.836 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 134

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 140,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43
Fixed lines rank: 140
Mobile cellular total: 273,300
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 85
Mobile cellular rank: 178

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 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 TV 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
Users total: 247,200
Users percent of population: 76.8%
Users rank: 151

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary male and female service; no conscription (2012)

Airports: 61 (2013)
Rank: 80
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
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: 17 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 2,700 km
Paved: 1620 km
Unpaved: 1080 km
Rank: 171

Merchant marine
Total: 1160
By type: barge carrier 1 bulk carrier 238 cargo 170 carrier 2 chemical tanker 87 combination ore/oil 8 container 57 liquefied gas 71 passenger 102 passenger/cargo 26 petroleum tanker 225 refrigerated cargo 97 roll on/roll off 13 specialized tanker 2 vehicle carrier 61
Foreign owned: 1069
Registered in other countries: 6 (2010)
Rank: 10

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Freeport Nassau South Riding Point
Container port: Freeport (1,116,272)(2011)
Cruise port: Nassau

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

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