1992 Edition

Climate

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Coastline

3,542 km

Comparative area

slightly larger than Connecticut

Continental shelf

200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation

Disputes

none

Environment

subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood damage

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

Land area

10,070 km2

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 32%; other 67%

Natural resources

salt, aragonite, timber

Note

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

Terrain

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Territorial sea

3 nm

Total area

13,940 km2

Birth rate

19 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic divisions

black 85%, white 15%

Infant mortality rate

19 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force

127,400; government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

Languages

English; some Creole among Haitian immigrants

Life expectancy at birth

69 years male, 76 years female (1992)

Literacy

90% (male 90%, female 89%) age 15 and over but definition of literacy not available (1963 est.)

Nationality

noun--Bahamian(s); adjective--Bahamian

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor

25% of labor force

Population

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

Religions

Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% (1980)

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1992)

Administrative divisions

21 districts; Abaco, Acklins Island, Andros Island, Berry Islands, Biminis, Cat Island, Cay Lobos, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, Inagua, Long Cay, Long Island, Mayaguana, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Spanish Wells

Capital

Nassau

Chief of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Acting Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992)

Constitution

10 July 1973

Executive branch

British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Head of Government

Prime Minister Sir Lynden Oscar PINDLING (since 16 January 1967)

House of Assembly

last held 19 June 1987 (next to be held by NA June 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(49 total) PLP 32, FNM 17

Independence

10 July 1973 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

Long-form name

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

National holiday

National Day, 10 July (1973)

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Type

commonwealth

GDP

purchasing power equivalent--$2.5 billion, per capita $9,900; real growth rate 1.0% (1990 est.)

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.

Highways

2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel

Merchant marine

778 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,129,173 GRT/30,002,421 DWT; includes 48 passenger, 19 short-sea passenger, 152 cargo, 37 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 42 container, 6 vehicle carrier, 1 railcar carrier, 172 petroleum tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 16 combination ore/oil, 47 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 143 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 78 refrigerated cargo; note--a flag of convenience registry

Ports

Freeport, Nassau

Branches

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police

Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion--$65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 68,020; NA fit for military service