2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
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 its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Geography
Area
total: 13,940 sq km water: 3,870 sq km land: 10,070 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline
3,542 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Environment - current issues
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
24 15 N, 76 00 W
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Location
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Natural hazards
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources
salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Terrain
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948; female 11,000) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
4.13% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
500 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
6,900 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Life expectancy at birth
73.49 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian
Net migration rate
-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
300,529 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
0.86% (2002 est.)
Religions
Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Nassau
Constitution
10 July 1973
Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Richard BLANKENSHIP embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 FAX:
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS consulate(s) general: Miami and [1] (202) 319-2660 chancery:
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002) head of government: Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
Government type
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Independence
10 July 1973 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held NA March 2002 (next to be held by March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
National holiday
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Political parties and leaders
Free National Movement or FNM [leader-designate Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
citrus, vegetables; poultry
Budget
revenues: $918.5 million expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)
Currency
Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Currency code
BSD
Debt - external
$381.9 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient
$9.8 million (1995)
Electricity - consumption
1.432 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
1.54 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
Exports
$535.8 million (2000)
Exports - commodities
fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables (1999)
Exports - partners
US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4% (2000)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.5% (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.88 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)
Imports - partners
US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force
156,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation
tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
6.9% (2001 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.bs
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
19 (2000)
Internet users
13,100 (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
215,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Telephones - main lines in use
96,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
6,152 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
67,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
67 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 32 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 3 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2001)
Heliports
1 (2001)
Highways
total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)
Merchant marine
total: 1,076 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,309,187 GRT/45,859,485 DWT ships by type: bulk 159, cargo 246, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 13, combination ore/oil 22, container 80, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 88, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 120, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 22 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors
Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none
Military and Security
Military branches
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$20 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.7% (FY99)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money laundering This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Bangladesh