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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 60 usable: 55 with permanent-surface runways: 31 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 26

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,400 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: gravel 1,050 km

Merchant marine [time series]

879 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,424,439 GRT/33,330,160 DWT, bulk 167, cargo 148, chemical tanker 43, combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 20, container 48, liquefied gas 18, oil tanker 177, passenger 54, refrigerated cargo 132, roll-on/roll-off cargo 41, short-sea passenger 16, vehicle carrier 7 note: a flag of convenience registry

Ports [time series]

Freeport, Nassau

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal products - citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of food

Budget [time series]

revenues: $628.5 million expenditures: $574 million, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 424,000 kW production: 929 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,599 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate)

Exports [time series]

$310 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish partners: US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.2 billion (December 1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; also money-laundering center

Imports [time series]

$1.2 billion (f.o.b,,1992) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels, crude oil partners: US 32%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.5% (1991)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $4.4 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$16,500 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2% (1991)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation whose economy is based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone provides about 40% 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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.7% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 13,940 sq km land area: 10,070 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Coastline [time series]

3,542 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 32% other: 67%

Location [time series]

Caribbean, in the western North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida and northwest of Cuba

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources [time series]

salt, aragonite, timber

Note [time series]

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

Terrain [time series]

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Nassau

Constitution [time series]

10 July 1973

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 319-2660

Executive branch [time series]

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); Deputy Prime Minister Orville A. TURNQUEST (since 19 August 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's recommendation

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(809) 328-7838

Flag [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Legislative branch (House of Assembly) [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

10 July 1973 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, C, CCC, CARICOM, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 10 July (1973)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING; Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM;

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

a 16-member body appointed by the governor general

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

commonwealth

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lino GUTIERREZ embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau telephone: (809) 322-1181 or 328-2206

People

Birth rate [time series]

18.86 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.38 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

black 85%, white 15%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

33.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

127,400 by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

Languages [time series]

English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.52 years male: 67.66 years female: 75.49 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over but definition of literacy not available (1963 est.) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 89%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Net migration rate [time series]

2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

273,055 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.57% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.88 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Bahamas, The