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Compare Bahamas, The (2002) - Pacific Ocean (2003)

Compare Bahamas, The (2002) z Pacific Ocean (2003)

 Bahamas, The (2002)Pacific Ocean (2003)
 Bahamas, ThePacific Ocean
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.)
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Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry -
Airports 67 (2001) -
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)
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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)
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Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total: 155.557 million sq km


note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
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. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
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)
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Capital Nassau -
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December
Coastline 3,542 km 135,663 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 -
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
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Currency Bahamian dollar (BSD) -
Death rate 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Debt - external $381.9 million (2000) -
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
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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
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Disputes - international none some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
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. The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new drillings.
Electricity - consumption 1.432 billion kWh (2000) -
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production 1.54 billion kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
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Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m


highest point: sea level 0 m
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea
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
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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
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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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (1999 est.)
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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 0 00 N, 160 00 W
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean
Heliports 1 (2002) -
Highways total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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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 -
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 -
Land use arable land: 0.6%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 99% (1998 est.)
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Languages English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) -
Legal system based on English common law -
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
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Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.87 years


male: 66.32 years


female: 73.49 years (2002 est.)
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Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.5%


female: 98% (1995 est.)
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Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Political Map of the World
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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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.)
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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
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Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish
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.)
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Population below poverty line NA% -
Population growth rate 0.86% (2002 est.) -
Ports and harbors Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 4, 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.)
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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)
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Telephones - main lines in use 96,000 (1997) -
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,152 (1997) -
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) -
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest
Total fertility rate 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.) -
Transportation - note - Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)
Unemployment rate 6.9% (2001 est.) -
Waterways none -
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