Background: Lucayan Indians inhabited the Bahama islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World 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 gaining 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 is only 80 km (50 mi) from Florida -- the country is a major transshipment point for illicit trafficking to the US mainland, as well as to Europe. US law enforcement agencies cooperate closely with The Bahamas; the Drug Enforcement Administration, US Coast Guard, and US Customs and Border Protection assist Bahamian authorities with maritime security and law enforcement through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or OPBAT.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 50.9% (2023 est.)
Other: 47.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

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
Total: 410,862 (2024 est.)
Male: 190,100
Female: 220,762
Distribution: most of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located
Growth rate: 1.07% (2024 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%, Plymouth Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant 0.9%), 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: 21.4% (male 41,675/female 46,363)
15-64 years: 70% (male 132,626/female 154,866)
65 years and over: 8.6% (2024 est.) (male 15,799/female 19,533)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 42.9 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 30.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 8.1 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 30.6 years
Female: 30.7 years

Population growth rate: 1.07% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 13.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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: 83.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 76 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.1 years
Female: 78.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Total: 98.9% of population

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 8.5% (2024 est.); 8.7% (2023 est.); 9.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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 King WILLIAM III of England (1650-1702), who was a member of the House of Orange-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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Cynthia A. PRATT (since 1 September 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Philip Edward DAVIS (since 17 September 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor-general on recommendation of prime minister
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: bicameral
Note: Parliament sits for 5 years from the date of the last general election: the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

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

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: royal anthem, as a Commonwealth country

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 10.9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.4% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 10.9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.3% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 12.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25.7% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.1% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 37.8% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -41.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 9.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 77.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 12.5% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 237,100 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 8.5% (2024 est.); 8.7% (2023 est.); 9.3% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 8.5% (2024 est.); 8.7% (2023 est.); 9.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $2.855 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $3.389 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 16.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $6.771 billion (2024 est.); $6.011 billion (2023 est.); $5.425 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, aluminum, shellfish, plastics (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $7.069 billion (2024 est.); $6.273 billion (2023 est.); $5.843 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, aircraft, cars, crude petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 608,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 2.036 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas
Consumption: 14.13 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 14.13 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.99 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.966 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 23,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 104.409 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 97,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 400,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 95% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 95,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 54 (2025)

Heliports: 9 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 1,274 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 345, container ship 39, general cargo 58, oil tanker 193, other 639