- Geography
- People
- History
- Government
- Economy
- Transportation
-Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of
Florida
-Geographic Coordinates: 24 15 N, 76 00 W
-Climate: tropical marine
-Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
-Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
-Highest point: Mount Alvernia 63 m
-Natural Resources: salt, aragonite, timber
-Natural Hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms which cause flooding
and wind damage
-Population: 300,529
-Age Structure: 0-14 years: 29%, 15-64 years: 65%, 65 years and older: 6%
-Population Growth Rate: .86%
-Birth Rate: 18.69 births/1000 pop.
-Death Rate: 7.49 deaths/1000 pop.
-Ethnic Groups: black: 85%, white: 12%, Asian and Hispanic: 3%
-Religions: Baptist: 32%, Anglican: 20%, Catholic: 19%, Methodist: 6%,
Church of God: 6%, other: 17%
-Language: English, Creole
-Literacy: 98.5% of pop. can read and write
-Arawak Indians inhabit islands
-Christopher Columbus set foot on San Salvador, Bahamas in 1492
-British settle islands in 1647
-Island becomes a colony in 1783
-Independence gained from UK in 1973
-Government Type: constitutional parliamentary democracy
-Capital: Nassau
-Independence: July 10, 1973 from UK
-Legal System: based on English common law
-Diplomatic Representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua Sears
-Diplomatic Representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J.
Richard Blankenship
-Flag Description: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
and aquamarine, with a black equilatera triangle on hoist side
-GDP: $5 billion
-GDP- real growth rate: 3.5%
-GDP- per capita: $16,000
-Inflation Rate: 1.5%
-Labor Force: 156,000
-Unemployment Rate: 6.9%
-Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt,
rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, steel pipes
-Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD)
-Exchange Rate: 1000 Bahamian dollar per 1 US dollar
-Fiscal Year: July 1-June 30
-Railways: 0
-Highways: 2693 km
-Waterways: 0
-Ports and Harbors: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
-Airports: 67
For more information visit the following sites.
