Bahamas

The Bahamas gained independence from Great Britain in 1973. Read this country profile of the Bahamas to learn about the history, government, geography and economy of these islands in the Commonwealth Caribbean.
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Map of the Bahamas
Map of Bahamas
Commonwealth of the Bahamas

Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II (1952)

Governor-General: Arthur Dion Hanna (2006)

Prime Minister: Hubert Ingraham (2007)

Land area: 3,888 sq mi (10,070 sq km); total area: 5,382 sq mi 13,940 sq km)

Population (2008 est.): 307,451 (growth rate: 0.5%); birth rate: 17.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 23.6/1000; life expectancy: 65.7; density per sq km: 30

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Nassau, 222,200

Monetary unit: Bahamian dollar

Languages: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Ethnicity/race: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions: Baptist 35%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 14%, Pentecostal 8%, Church of God 5%, Methodist 4%, other Christian 15% (2000)

National Holiday: Independence Day, July 10

Literacy rate: 98.2% (1995 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $5.696 billion; per capita $18,900. Real growth rate: 3%. Inflation: 1.2%. Unemployment: 10.2%. Arable land: 0.58%. Agriculture: citrus, vegetables; poultry. Labor force: 176,300 (2004); agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.). Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe. Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land. Exports: $469.3 million (2004 est.): mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables. Imports: $1.82 billion (2004 est.): machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals. Major trading partners: U.S., Poland, Spain, Germany, France, South Korea, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Venezuela (2004).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 139,900 (2004); mobile cellular: 186,000 (2004). Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006). Television broadcast stations: 2 (2006). Internet hosts: 359 (2005). Internet users: 93,000 (2005).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 2,693 km; paved: 1,546 km; unpaved: 1,147 km (1999). Ports and harbors: Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point. Airports: 64 (2005).

International disputes: disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability .

Flag of Bahamas

Geography

The Bahamas are an archipelago of about 700 islands and 2,400 uninhabited islets and cays lying 50 mi off the east coast of Florida. They extend for about 760 mi (1,223 km). Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited; the most important is New Providence (80 sq mi; 207 sq km), on which the capital, Nassau, is situated. Other islands include Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, Cat Island, and San Salvador (or Watling's Island).

Government

Parliamentary democracy.

History

The Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants of the Bahamas. Columbus's first encounter with the New World was on Oct. 12, 1492, when he landed on the Bahamian island of San Salvador. The British first built settlements on the islands in the 17th century. In the early 18th century, the Bahamas were a favorite pirate haunt.

The Bahamas were a Crown colony from 1717 until they were granted internal self-government in 1964. The islands moved toward greater autonomy in 1968 after the overwhelming victory in general elections of the Progressive Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Lynden O. Pindling, over the predominantly white United Bahamians Party. With its new mandate from the black population (85% of Bahamians), Pindling's government negotiated a new constitution with Britain under which the colony became the Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands in 1969. On July 10, 1973, the Bahamas became an independent nation.

An Emerging Economy

Once heavily reliant on agriculture and fishing, the Bahamas has diversified its economy into tourism, financial services, and international shipping. While the nation enjoys a per capita income that is among the top 30 in the world, there is a big gap between the urban middle class and poor farmers. In addition, the nation is vulnerable to hurricanes, which regularly inflict serious damage.

Hubert Ingraham became prime minister in May 2007 after his Free National Movement, an opposition party, won parliamentary elections.

See also: Caribbean Clip Art Image

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