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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $687.5 million expenditures: $827 million, including capital expenditures of $112 million (FY96/97 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$381.7 million (1997)

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country's GDP by an estimated 3.5% in 1997. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute less than 10% of GDP and show little growth despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued income growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visitors.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

401,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

4,100 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

1.29 billion kWh (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1-1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)

Exports [time series]

total value: $201.7 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products partners: US 24%, Spain 14%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5% (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$5.36 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3% industry: 5% services: 92% (1997 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$19,400 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

3.5% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $1.26 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics partners: US 29%, Finland 10%, Iran 10%, Denmark 8%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

0.4% (1997)

Labor force [time series]

total: 146,600 (1996) by occupation: government 30%, tourism 40%, business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

200,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: 91,183 telephone lines; totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

200,000 (1997 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1986 est.)

Televisions [time series]

60,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

10% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Coastline [time series]

3,542 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 32% other: 67% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation (measured from the archipelagic straight baselines) exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage

Natural resources [time series]

salt, aragonite, timber

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, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Constitution [time series]

10 July 1973

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: Local or Express Mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; American Embassy, Nassau; Stateside address: American Embassy, P.O. Box 9009, Miami, FL 33159; Pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 (pouch) telephone: [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Arlington Griffith BUTLER chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 mailing address: American Embassy, NAS/STATE 10-1006, P.O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

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

[1] (242) 356-0222 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

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

[1] (809) 356-0222

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

commonwealth

Independence [time series]

10 July 1973 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for a five-year term) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-FNM 35, PLP 5

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Nassau

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 10 July (1973)

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$22.9 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

3.8% (FY95/96)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28% (male 39,239; female 38,708) 15-64 years: 67% (male 91,208; female 95,198) 65 years and over: 5% (male 6,444; female 9,036) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.03 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.44 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 85%, white 15%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74 years male: 70.65 years female: 77.42 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of literacy not available total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

279,833 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.39% (1998 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%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.33 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money-laundering BAHRAIN

Transportation

Airports [time series]

62 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 21 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,024 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,674,594 GRT/38,334,892 DWT ships by type: bulk 205, cargo 223, chemical tanker 34, combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 21, container 55, liquefied gas tanker 25, oil tanker 176, passenger 53, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 145, roll-on/roll-off cargo 49, short-sea passenger 11, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 17 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 48 countries among which are Norway 172, Greece 145, UK 122, US 70, Denmark 42, Sweden 29, Finland 27, Monaco 27, Japan 26, and Italy 25 (1997 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Railways [time series]

0 km

Bahamas, The