2015 Edition

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.

Area

land

10,010 sq km

total

13,880 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

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

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

10 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land 0.8%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 0.2%

agricultural land

1.4%

forest

51.4%

other

47.2% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Total renewable water resources

0.02 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

22.98% (male 37,838/female 36,747)

15-24 years

17.15% (male 28,195/female 27,459)

25-54 years

44.08% (male 71,528/female 71,555)

55-64 years

8.58% (male 12,429/female 15,436)

65 years and over

7.21% (male 8,981/female 14,429) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

15.5 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.7%

potential support ratio

8.5% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

41.2%

youth dependency ratio

29.6%

Drinking water source

urban: 98.4% of population

rural: 98.4% of population

total: 98.4% of population

urban: 1.6% of population

rural: 1.6% of population

total: 1.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.22% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

500 (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,700 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

11.75 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.7 years (2015 est.)

male

69.77 years

total population

72.2 years

Major urban areas - population

NASSAU (capital) 267,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

80 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

female

32.6 years (2015 est.)

male

30.4 years

total

31.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Bahamian

noun

Bahamian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

36.6% (2014)

Physicians density

2.82 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

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 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.85% (2015 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 92% of population

rural: 92% of population

total: 92% of population

urban: 8% of population

rural: 8% of population

total: 8% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.81 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.62 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

32.2% (2012 est.)

male

29.6%

total

30.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.53% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

82.9% of total population (2015)

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

geographic coordinates

25 05 N, 77 21 W

name

Nassau

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Lisa A. JOHNSON (since 9 July 2014

embassy

42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence

FAX

[1] (242) 328-2206

mailing address

local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370

telephone

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dr. Eugene Glenwood NEWRY (since 3 December 2013)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Miami, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2668

telephone

[1] (202) 319-2660

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Marguerite PINDLING (since 8 July 2014)

elections/appointments

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

head of government

Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 8 May 2012)

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

Government type

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Independence

10 July 1973 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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)

Judicial branch

highest resident court(s)

The Bahamas Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices, organized in 3-member panels); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices – as of 2015)

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

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 (CARICOM); the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas

subordinate courts

Industrial Tribunal; Stipendiary and Magistrates' Courts; Family Island Administrators

Legal system

common law system based on the English model

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve 5-year terms) 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

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

elections

last held on 7 May 2012 (next to be held by May 2017)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Timothy GIBSON

name

"March On, Bahamaland!"

note

adopted 1973; as a Commonwealth country, in addition to the national anthem, "God Save the Queen" serves as the royal anthem (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

National symbol(s)

blue marlin, flamingo, Yellow Elder flower; national colors: aquamarine, yellow, black

Political parties and leaders

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert MINNIS]

Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Democratic National Alliance [Branville MCCARTNEY]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Friends of the Environment

other

trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Budget

expenditures

$1.7 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$1.6 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.5% (1 January 2014)

4.5% (31 December 2012)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

4.75% (31 December 2014 est.)

4.75% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.891 billion (2014 est.)

-$1.494 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$17.56 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$16.35 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

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.

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar -

1 (2014 est.)

1 (2013 est.)

1 (2012 est.)

1 (2011 est.)

1 (2010 est.)

Exports

$848.8 million (2014 est.)

$954.9 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

crawfish, aragonite, crude salt, polystyrene products

Exports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 20.5%, US 14.7%, India 13.4%, Dominican Republic 10.6%, Mexico 6.9%, Ecuador 4.9% (2014)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

43.9%

government consumption

15.8%

household consumption

72.5%

imports of goods and services

-60.9%

investment in fixed capital

27.7%

investment in inventories

1.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.1%

industry

7.3%

services

90.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$25,100 (2014 est.)

$24,800 (2013 est.)

$24,800 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2014 est.)

0% (2013 est.)

2.2% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.511 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$9.031 billion (2014 est.)

$8.94 billion (2013 est.)

$8.938 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

9.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

10% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

22% (2007)

lowest 10%

1%

Imports

$3.27 billion (2014 est.)

$3.166 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 30.8%, Japan 11.4%, Singapore 9.4%, South Korea 7.7%, Colombia 7.4%, China 6.8%, Brazil 5.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

1.5% (2014 est.)

Industries

tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (2014 est.)

0.4% (2013 est.)

Labor force

196,900 (2013 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

3%

industry

11%

other services

37% (2011 est.)

tourism

49%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.78 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Population below poverty line

9.3% (2010 est.)

Public debt

57.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

56.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$950 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$874.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of broad money

$6.453 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.076 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$8.825 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$8.926 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.996 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.641 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (2014 est.)

15.8% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.836 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

1.716 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

493,000 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

1.845 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

41,650 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

64,430 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

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

Internet users

percent of population

76.8% (2014 est.)

total

247,200

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2009)

Telephone system

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

general assessment

modern facilities

international

country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

43 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

140,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

85 (2014 est.)

total

273,300

Television broadcast stations

2 (2006)

Airports

61 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

13

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

7 (2013)

over 3,047 m

2

total

24

Airports - with unpaved runways

17 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

4

914 to 1,523 m

16

total

37

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

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

1,069 (Angola 6, Australia 1, Belgium 6, Bermuda 15, Brazil 1, Canada 96, Croatia 1, Cyprus 23, Denmark 69, Finland 8, France 15, Germany 30, Greece 225, Guernsey 6, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Ireland 3, Italy 1, Japan 88, Jordan 2, Kuwait 1, Malaysia 13, Monaco 8, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 23, Nigeria 2, Norway 186, Poland 34, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 7, South Korea 1, Spain 6, Sweden 11, Switzerland 1, Thailand 4, Turkey 3, UAE 23, UK 18, US 109)

registered in other countries

6 (Panama 6) (2010)

total

1,160

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Freeport (1,116,272)(2011)

cruise port(s)

Nassau

major seaport(s)

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Roadways

paved

1,620 km

total

2,700 km

unpaved

1,080 km (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49

85,568 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

64,645 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

63,429

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

2,750 (2010 est.)

male

2,829

Military branches

Royal Bahamas Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2011)

Military service age and obligation

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

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