On July 8, 2016, the government of The Bahamas,which had a 90% black population, issued a trav-el warning to its citizens going to the U.S. The

warning cited “shootings of young black males by policeofficers” in U.S. cities and advised Bahamians to exercise“extreme caution” in any dealings they might have withAmerican police. During theyear the government tooksteps toward full imple-mentation of affordable uni-versal health-care coveragethrough the creation of theNational Health Insurance(NHI) program. The healthminister introduced the NHIBill in the House of Assem-bly in August.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2013):12.3 (world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 population (2013):5.8 (world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per 1,000 population(2013): 6.5 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth (2007): male 71.0years; female 77.0 years.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 384,600.Density (2016)1: persons per sq mi98.9, persons per sq km 38.2.

Sex distribution (2015): male48.97%; female 51.03%.

Population projection: (2020)401,200; (2030) 436,500.

Major cities and towns (2010):Nassau 246,329; Freeport (onGrand Bahama) 28,000; WestEnd (on Grand Bahama;2006) 12,900; Cooper’s Town(on Great Abaco; 2006)8,600; Marsh Harbour (onGreat Abaco) 4,368.

Bahamas, The

Official name: The Commonwealth ofThe Bahamas.

Form of government: constitutionalmonarchy with two legislative houses(Senate [16]; House of Assembly [38]).

Head of state: British Monarch, QueenElizabeth II, represented by Governor-General Dame Marguerite Pindling.

Head of government: Prime MinisterPerry Christie.

Capital: Nassau.Official language: English.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: Bahamian dollar (B$);

valuation (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ =B$1.00; 1 £ = B$1.33.

Ethnic composition (2007):

Age breakdown (2015):

Religious affiliation (2000):

Area and populationarea2 population area2 population

Islands and 2010 Islands and 2010Island Groups3 sq km census Island Groups3 sq km census

Abaco, Great and Little 1,681 17,224

Acklins 497 565Andros 5,957 7,490Berry Islands 31 807Bimini Islands 23 1,988Cat Island 388 1,522Crooked and Long Cay 241 330

Eleuthera 484 8,202Exuma, Great, and Exuma Cays 290 6,928

Grand Bahama 1,373 51,368Harbour Island 8 1,762

Inagua, Great and Little 1,551 913

Long Island 596 3,094Mayaguana 285 277New Providence Island (Nassau) 207 246,329

Ragged Island 36 72Rum Cay 78 99San Salvador 163 940Spanish Wells 26 1,551Other uninhabited cays and rocks 23 —

TOTAL 13,9394 351,461

Urban-rural (2014):

© 2017 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

World DataE N C Y C L O P Æ D I A

Britannica

National economyBudget (2010–11). Revenue: B$1,400,699,000 (tax revenue 90.5%, of

which taxes on international trade and transactions42.2% [including import duties 26.4%, excise taxes14.9%], business and professional licenses 8.4%, proper-ty tax 6.5%; nontax revenue 9.5%). Expenditures:B$1,587,000,000 (health 16.3%; general administration16.0%; education 15.5%; interest on public debt 13.3%;public works and water supply 10.9%; public order10.0%).

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2013): sugarcane 57,500, grapefruit(including pomelos) 21,143, bananas 10,306, tomatoes6,151, oranges 3,662, lemons and limes 2,779; livestock(number of live animals) 3,000,000 chickens; roundwood

(2014) 50,574 cu m, of which fuelwood 66%; fisheries production11,872 (mainly lobsters, crayfish, and conch; from aquaculture, none).Mining and quarrying (2011): salt 1,000,000; aragonite 1,500.Manufacturing (value of export production in B$’000; 2009): poly-styrene 122,500; heterocyclic compounds 106,900; yachts/boats 8,300;blow torches 7,200.9 Energy production (consumption): electricity(kW-hr; 2012) 2,037,000,000 (2,037,000,000), by source: fossil fuels100%; crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products (metrictons; 2012) none (639,000).

Average household size (2011): 3.6.Gross national income (GNI; 2015): U.S.$8,269,000,000 (U.S.$21,310per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$22,930 per capita).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2011): U.S.$1,417,000,00010.Population economically active (May 2014): total 197,335; participationrates: male 86.5%; female 84.7%; unemployed 14.3%.

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low 0.9%, in permanent crops 0.4%, in pasture 0.2%, forest area51.4%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

1,300 (marines with coast guard duties100%). Military expenditure as percentage ofGDP (2014): 1.0%; per capita expenditureU.S.$270.

Foreign trade8

Imports (2014): B$3,790,500,000 (mineral products22.9%, machinery and transport equipment 19.0%,food and live animals 13.5%, manufactured goodsclassified by material 11.2%, chemicals and chemi-cal products 10.4%). Major import sources:

Exports (2014)11: B$689,200,000 (chemicals andchemical products 40.1%, mineral products 24.1%,machinery and transport equipment 11.7%, foodand live animals 8.7%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads: none.Roads12: total length 1,688 mi,2,717 km (paved 57%).Vehicles12: passenger cars112,900; trucks and buses19,200.

Education and healthLiteracy (2005): total percentage age 15 andover literate 95.8%.

Health: physicians (2006) 849 (1 per 389 per-sons); hospital beds (2007) 1,057 (1 per 316persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 livebirths (2010) 16.1; undernourished population(2005–07) 20,000 (6% of total populationbased on the consumption of a minimum dailyrequirement of 1,890 calories).

1Land area only. 2Includes areas of lakes and ponds, as well as lagoons and sounds almost entirely sur-rounded by land; area of land only is about 10,070 sq km (3,890 sq mi). 3For local administrative pur-poses, the Out (Family) Islands of the Bahamas are divided into 32 districts; New Providence Island isadministered directly by the national government. 4Detail does not add to total given because of round-ing. 5At constant prices of 2006. 6Indirect taxes less imputed bank service charges. 7Includes 26,215unemployed. 8Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 9No rum exported in 2009. 10Includes public corporations.11Includes reexports. 122002. 13Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• Department of Statistics statistics.bahamas.gov.bs• The Central Bank of The Bahamas www.centralbankbahamas.com

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2008 2009

in value % of total labour % of labourB$’0005 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 88,500 1.2 4,530 2.5Mining and quarrying 23,500 0.3 2,595 1.4Public utilities 179,800 2.5Manufacturing 234,600 3.3 5,315 2.9Construction 821,800 11.4 17,345 9.4Transp. and commun. 602,200 8.4 10,985 6.0Trade 807,900 11.2 46,500 25.3Hotels, restaurants 732,300 10.2Finance, real estate 2,086,700 28.9 19,405 10.5Pub. admin., defense 440,200 6.1 50,550 27.5Services 966,100 13.4Other 224,4006 3.16 26,7957 14.57

TOTAL 7,208,2004 100.0 184,020 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 31113 80313

Landline 2015 121 312

Internet users 2009 116 420Broadband 2015 8113 20913

}

}

}

© 2017 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

World DataE N C Y C L O P Æ D I A

Britannica