Bahamas, The

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

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 etymology: named after King WILLIAM III of England (1650-1702), who was a member of the House of Orange-Nassau

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Cynthia A. PRATT (since 1 September 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Philip Edward DAVIS (since 17 September 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor-general on recommendation of prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: Parliament sits for 5 years from the date of the last general election: the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 6 justices, organized in 3-member panels); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 19 justices) 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 subordinate courts: Industrial Tribunal; Magistrates' Courts; Family Island Administrators (can also serve as magistrates) note: The Bahamas is a member of the 15-member Caribbean Community but is not party to the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice as its highest appellate court; the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) serves as the final court of appeal for The Bahamas

history: previous 1964 (pre-independence); latest adopted 20 June 1973, effective 10 July 1973 amendment process: proposed as an "Act" by Parliament; passage of amendments to articles such as the organization and composition of the branches of government requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the membership of both houses of Parliament and majority approval in a referendum; passage of amendments to constitutional articles such as fundamental rights and individual freedoms, the powers, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, or changes to the Bahamas Independence Act 1973 requires approval by at least three-fourths majority of the membership of both houses and majority approval in a referendum

ACP, ACS, 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)

0.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF): includes land, air, maritime elements; Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) (2025) note: the RBPF maintains internal security; both the RBDF and the RBPF, as well as the Department of Corrections, report to the Minister of National Security

18-30 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (18-60 for Reserves); no conscription (2025)

the RBDF was established in 1980; its primary responsibilities are maritime security and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the Bahamas, providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and supporting internal law and order in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies; the RBDF is a naval force with a few light aircraft, coastal patrol craft, and patrol boats, as well as a lightly-armed marine infantry/commando squadron for base and internal security; the RBDF has training relationships with the UK and the US (2025)

$14.544 billion (2024 est.) $14.069 billion (2023 est.) $13.653 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$36,200 (2024 est.) $35,200 (2023 est.) $34,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.4% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 10.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

0.4% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

73.7% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$6.771 billion (2024 est.) $6.011 billion (2023 est.) $5.425 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$7.069 billion (2024 est.) $6.273 billion (2023 est.) $5.843 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

8.5% (2024 est.) 8.7% (2023 est.) 9.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $2.855 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $3.389 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment and logistics, salt, aragonite, pharmaceuticals

sugarcane, grapefruits, vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, chicken, tropical fruits, oranges, coconuts, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 415,306 (2025 est.) male: 192,055 female: 223,251

1.08% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 21.4% (male 41,675/female 46,363) 15-64 years: 70% (male 132,626/female 154,866) 65 years and over: 8.6% (2024 est.) (male 15,799/female 19,533)

13.1 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 76.7 years (2024 est.) male: 75.1 years female: 78.4 years

urban population: 83.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

African descent 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.) note: data represent population by racial group

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

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%, Plymouth Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)

salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

refugees: 30 (2024 est.) IDPs: 30 (2024 est.)

54 (2025)

total: 1,274 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 345, container ship 39, general cargo 58, oil tanker 193, other 639

total subscriptions: 388,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2023 est.)