2004 Edition

Background

Arawak 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 its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Area

land

10,070 sq km

total

13,940 sq km

water

3,870 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Coastline

3,542 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0.8%

other

98.8% (2001)

permanent crops

0.4%

Location

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.3% (male 42,474; female 42,423) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 96,825; female 99,985) 65 years and over: 6% (male 7,351; female 10,639) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

5,600 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

31.73 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.11 years (2004 est.)

male

62.21 years

total population

65.63 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.5% (2003 est.)

male

94.7%

total population

95.6%

Median age

female

28 years (2004 est.)

male

26.5 years

total

27.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Bahamian

noun

Bahamian(s)

Net migration rate

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

299,697

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 2004 est.)

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the

Population growth rate

0.72% (2004 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

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370

FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

chief of mission

Ambassador John D. ROOD

embassy

42 Queen Street, Nassau

mailing address

local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,

telephone

[1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)

Diplomatic representation in the US

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668

chancery

2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Joshua SEARS

consulate(s) general

Miami and New York

telephone

[1] (202) 319-2660

Executive branch

represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)

and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)

minister's recommendation

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

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general

head of government

Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)

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, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (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); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

election results

percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,

elections

last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Political parties and leaders

Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Budget

$106.7 million (FY99/00)

expenditures

$956.5 million, including capital expenditures of

revenues

$918.5 million

Currency

Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code

BSD

Debt - external

$308.5 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient

$9.8 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 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 the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% 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 together 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, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce.

Electricity - consumption

1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

1.56 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999)

Exports

$617 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners

US 35%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 7.8%, France 7.6%, Poland 5.3%, Switzerland 4.8%, Peru 4.2%, Paraguay 4.2% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.049 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3%

industry

7%

services

90% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$1.614 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners

US 20.8%, South Korea 17.4%, Italy 11.4%, France 9.1%, Brazil 7.5%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA (2002 est.)

Industries

tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force

156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.)

Oil - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

6.9% (2001 est.)

Internet country code

.bs

Internet hosts

302 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

19 (2000)

Internet users

84,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

215,000 (1997)

Telephone system

submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

domestic

totally automatic system; highly developed

general assessment

modern facilities

international

country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and

Telephones - main lines in use

131,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

121,800 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2004)

Televisions

67,000 (1997)

Airports

63 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

over 3,047 m

2

total

29

under 914 m

1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10

total

34

under 914 m

21 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Highways

paved

1,546 km

total

2,693 km

unpaved

1,147 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20

4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49, Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13, Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2

by type

bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk

foreign-owned

Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada

registered in other countries

11 (2004 est.)

total

1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252 GRT/43,025,977 DWT

Ports and harbors

Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Military branches

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Disputes - international

concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and political conditions

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Bahrain