Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas Background Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Area total: 13,940 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut Coastline 3,542 km Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited Population 297,477
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 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 28.8% (male 42,799; female 42,730)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 95,718; female 98,875)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 7,092; female 10,263) (2003 est.) Median age total: 27 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 27.7 years (2002) Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)
adjective: Bahamian Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% 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 (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Internet country code .bs Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 94.7%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.) Government type constitutional parliamentary democracy National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Legal system based on English common law International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) Economy - overview 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 half of the archipelago"s labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2002. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of most of the visitors. Exports - partners US 39.1%, Germany 15.4%, Spain 10.8%, France 7.4%, Poland 4.6%, Switzerland 4.3% (2002) Currency Bahamian dollar (BSD) Currency code BSD Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998) Airports 64 (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 Airports - with unpaved runways total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 22 (2002) Disputes - international have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary with the US |
