Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

3 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

215,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: 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 - main lines in use) [time series]

77,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2,400 (1993)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

67,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $766 million expenditures: $845 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$349 million (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$9.8 million (1995)

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 60% 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% in 1998. 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 - consumption [time series]

1.246 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.34 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$362.8 million (1998)

Exports - commodities [time series]

pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products

Exports - partners [time series]

US 22.3%, Switzerland 15.6%, UK 15%, Denmark 7.4% (1998)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

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

purchasing power parity - $5.58 billion (1998 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 - $20,000 (1998 est.)

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

3% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$1.74 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics

Imports - partners [time series]

US 27.3%, Italy 26.5%, Japan 10%, Denmark 4.2% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (1998)

Labor force [time series]

148,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

9% (1998 est.)

Area [time series]

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

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 [time series]

coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

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

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

24 15 N, 76 00 W

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 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

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

Capital [time series]

Nassau

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]

BF

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur SCHECHTER embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181 FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (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 monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

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]

constitutional parliamentary democracy

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, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrate's courts

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

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 10 July (1973)

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. By the early 1980s, the islands had become a major center for drug trafficking, particularly shipments to the US.

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

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$20 million (FY95/96)

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

NA%

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 44,339; female 43,667) 15-64 years: 64% (male 93,072; female 96,457) 65 years and over: 6% (male 7,298; female 10,149) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.54 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

16.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.07 years male: 68.25 years female: 73.94 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

294,982 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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.01% (2000 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.33 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

62 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 33 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 21 (1999 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,075 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,630,674 GRT/44,111,353 DWT ships by type: bulk 201, cargo 233, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 15, combination ore/oil 25, container 59, liquified gas 35, livestock carrier 1, passenger 68, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 177, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 129, roll-on/roll-off 51, short-sea passenger 12, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 23 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 49 countries among which are Norway 177, Greece 141, UK 113, US 61, Denmark 39, Finland 27, Japan 25, Sweden 24, France 22, and Italy 22 (1998 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Railways [time series]

0 km

Bahamas, The