The Bahamas

The Bahamas The Bahamas:Geography Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 13,940 sq km land area: 10,070 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,542 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 32% other: 67% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: coral reef decay natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution Note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain The Bahamas:People Population: 256,616 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (female 35,924; male 36,504) 15-64 years: 66% (female 87,868; male 82,780) 65 years and over: 6% (female 8,247; male 5,293) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.09% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 19.23 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.12 years male: 67.37 years female: 76.97 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15% Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1963 est.) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 89% Labor force: 136,900 (1993) by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989) The Bahamas:Government Names: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas Digraph: BF Type: commonwealth Capital: Nassau 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, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973) Constitution: 10 July 1973 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's recommendation Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament Senate: a 16-member body appointed by the governor general House of Assembly: elections last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held by August 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (49 total) FNM 32, PLP 17 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM; Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] [phone] FAX: [1] [phone] consulate(s) general: Miami and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau telephone: [1] [phone], 328-2206 FAX: [1] [phone] Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side Economy Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, 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, per capita GDP is one of the highest in the region. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 3.5% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $15,900 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1994) Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1993) Budget: revenues: $696 million expenditures: $756 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95) Exports: $257 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products partners: US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5% Imports: $1.15 billion (f.o.b,,1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics partners: US 55%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6% External debt: $455 million (December 1993) Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 424,000 kW production: 929 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1993) Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products - citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; also a money-laundering center Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million Currency: 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June The Bahamas:Transportation Railroads: 0 km Highways: total: 2,400 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: gravel 1,050 km Ports: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau Merchant marine: total: 936 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,815,474 GRT/35,253,416 DWT ships by type: bulk 162, cargo 181, chemical tanker 39, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 19, container 52, liquefied gas tanker 20, oil tanker 182, passenger 55, refrigerated cargo 146, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 16, vehicle carrier 12 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 46 countries among which are UK 158 ships, Norway 125, Greece 100, US 94, Denmark 80, Netherlands 53, France 36, Finland 35, Japan 35, Sweden 25 Airports: total: 60 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 11 with paved runways under 914 m: 22 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 8 The Bahamas:Communications Telephone system: 99,000 telephones; totally automatic system; highly developed local: NA intercity: NA international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA The Bahamas:Defense Forces Branches: Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

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