Compare Bahamas, The (2002) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

Compare Bahamas, The (2002) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

	Bahamas, The (2002)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

Administrative divisions	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, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948; female 11,000) (2002 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	citrus, vegetables; poultry	-
Airports	67 (2001)	1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 34 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 3 23 (2002)	-
Area	total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Connecticut	land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $918.5 million expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)	-
Capital	Nassau	-
Climate	tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	3,542 km	698 km
Constitution	10 July 1973	-
Country name	conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	Bahamian dollar (BSD)	-
Death rate	7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Debt - external	$381.9 million (2000)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador J. Richard BLANKENSHIP embassy: 42 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, 328-2206 FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS 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	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	none	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain;
Economic aid - recipient	$9.8 million (1995)	-
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 almost half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences have led to solid GDP growth in recent years. 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 the majority of tourist visitors.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption	1.432 billion kWh (2000)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - production	1.54 billion kWh (2000)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	coral reef decay; solid waste disposal	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, 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	-
Ethnic groups	black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%	-
Exchange rates	Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002) 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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	$535.8 million (2000)	-
Exports - commodities	fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables (1999)	-
Exports - partners	US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4% (2000)	-
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	-
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	3.5% (2001)	-
Geographic coordinates	24 15 N, 76 00 W	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Geography - note	strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center	-
Imports	$1.88 billion (2000)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)	-
Imports - partners	US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)	-
Independence	10 July 1973 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe	-
Infant mortality rate	17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.5% (2001 est.)	-
International organization participation	ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	19 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	0 sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts	-
Labor force	156,000 (1999)	-
Labor force - by occupation	tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 99% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Languages	English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)	-
Legal system	based on English common law	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	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 five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.87 years male: 66.32 years female: 73.49 years (2002 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)	-
Location	Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1,076 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,309,187 GRT/45,859,485 DWT ships by type: bulk 159, cargo 246, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 13, combination ore/oil 22, container 80, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 88, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 120, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 16, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 22 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$20 million (FY95/96)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.7% (FY99)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 10 July (1973)	-
Nationality	noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian	-
Natural hazards	hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage	NA
Natural resources	salt, aragonite, timber, arable land	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	300,529 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 2002 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	0.86% (2002 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	215,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	-
Telephone system	general assessment: modern facilities 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) (1997)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	96,000 (1997)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	6,152 (1997)	-
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	6.9% (2001 est.)	-
Waterways	none	-

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