Bahamas, The

Internet country code

.bs

Internet hosts

248 (2007)

Internet users

103,000 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern facilities 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 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 station - 2 (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

133,100 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

227,800 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2006)

Agriculture - products

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Budget

revenues: $1.03 billion expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)

Currency (code)

Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Debt - external

$342.6 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$4.78 million (2004)

Economy - overview

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation 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. 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. The current government has presided over a period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private sector investments in tourism. 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.

Electricity - consumption

1.762 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

1.894 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002)

Exports

$451 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners

Spain 23.8%, US 21.1%, Poland 14.4%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Guatemala 5.2% (2006)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.159 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.556 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$21,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Imports

$2.16 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 24.5%, Brazil 15.6%, Japan 13%, South Korea 7.8%, Spain 7.1% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (2004)

Labor force

176,300 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

transshipments of 41,290 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

9.3% (2004)

Unemployment rate

10.2% (2005 est.)

Area

total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 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

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, 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: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005)

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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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

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

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

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 Ned L. SIEGEL embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau 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, 356-3229 (after hours) FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: vacant chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007) 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; 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

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, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; magistrates courts

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

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 five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call elections at any time elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be called by May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18

National holiday

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Political parties and leaders

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 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 Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 73,121 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2007)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.5% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 27% (male 41,268/female 41,186) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 99,961/female 103,230) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 8,176/female 11,834) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

17.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

9.13 deaths/1,000 population (2007 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

total: 24.17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.66 years male: 62.37 years female: 69.02 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 28.1 years male: 27.3 years female: 28.9 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Net migration rate

-2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

305,655 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 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

0.602% (2007 est.)

Religions

Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.968 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.691 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

disagrees with the US on the alignment of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian refugees in Bahamian waters

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center

Airports

62 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 24 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 22 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 1,213 ships (1000 GRT or over) 40,403,455 GRT/54,276,183 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 225, cargo 240, chemical tanker 84, combination ore/oil 13, container 72, liquefied gas 49, livestock carrier 2, passenger 117, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 196, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 39 foreign-owned: 1,134 (Angola 6, Australia 3, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 1, Canada 13, China 9, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 20, Denmark 66, Finland 8, France 43, Germany 40, Greece 214, Hong Kong 3, Iceland 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 2, Italy 1, Japan 62, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 11, Monaco 11, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24, Nigeria 2, Norway 232, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Russia 5, Saudi Arabia 15, Singapore 9, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 11, Sweden 5, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 5, UAE 20, UK 68, US 162, Uruguay 1, Venezuela 1) registered in other countries: 3 (Barbados 1, Panama 2) (2007)

Ports and terminals

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Roadways

total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999)