Compare Bahamas, The (2002) - United Arab Emirates (2003)

Compare Bahamas, The (2002) z United Arab Emirates (2003)

	Bahamas, The (2002)	United Arab Emirates (2003)

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	7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
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.)	0-14 years: 26.7% (male 338,245; female 324,866) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,087,927; female 661,349) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 52,059; female 20,372) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	citrus, vegetables; poultry	dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Airports	67 (2001)	41 (2002)
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: 22 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
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)	total: 19 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area	total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km	total: 82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Connecticut	slightly smaller than Maine
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 Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
Birth rate	18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	18.48 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $918.5 million expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)	revenues: $20 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital	Nassau	Abu Dhabi
Climate	tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream	desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline	3,542 km	1,318 km
Constitution	10 July 1973	2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Country name	conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas	conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE
Currency	Bahamian dollar (BSD)	Emirati dirham (AED)
Death rate	7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	4.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$381.9 million (2000)	$18.5 billion (2002 est.)
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
Disputes - international	none	because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeled approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb islands and Abu Musa island
Economic aid - donor	-	$NA
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 UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
Electricity - consumption	1.432 billion kWh (2000)	35.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	1.54 billion kWh (2000)	37.74 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
Environment - current issues	coral reef decay; solid waste disposal	lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups	black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%	Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Exchange rates	Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)	Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2002), 3.67 (2001), 3.67 (2000), 3.67 (1999), 3.67 (1998)
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: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Exports	$535.8 million (2000)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables (1999)	crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners	US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.4% (2000)	Japan 27.8%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 3.8% (2002)
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	calendar year
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
GDP	purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $53.97 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.)	agriculture: 3% industry: 46% services: 51% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2000 est.)	purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3.5% (2001)	1.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	24 15 N, 76 00 W	24 00 N, 54 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited	strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports	1 (2002)	2 (2002)
Highways	total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)	total: 1,088 km paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center	the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002
Imports	$1.88 billion (2000)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals (1999)	machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners	US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)	US 8.1%, China 7.8%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.5%, India 5.7%, France 5.6%, UK 5.4%, South Korea 5.1%, Iran 4.2% (2002)
Independence	10 July 1973 (from UK)	2 December 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	4% (2000)
Industries	tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe	petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Infant mortality rate	17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 15.58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.5% (2001 est.)	2.8% (2002 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)	ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	19 (2000)	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	NA sq km	720 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts	Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force	156,000 (1999)	1.6 million (2000 est.) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)	services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Land use	arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 99% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.49% other: 99.03% (1998 est.)
Languages	English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)	Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
Legal system	based on English common law	federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
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	unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.87 years male: 66.32 years female: 73.49 years (2002 est.)	total population: 74.75 years male: 72.28 years female: 77.35 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
Location	Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida	Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Middle East
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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.)	total: 61 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 815,428 GRT/1,207,346 DWT ships by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 4, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force	Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$20 million (FY95/96)	$1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.7% (FY99)	3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 26,636 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 10 July (1973)	Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Nationality	noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian	noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati
Natural hazards	hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage	frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources	salt, aragonite, timber, arable land	petroleum, natural gas
Net migration rate	-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	-	condensate 383 km; gas 1,765 km; liquid petroleum gas 186 km; oil 1,266 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	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.)	2,484,818 note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December 1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.86% (2002 est.)	1.57% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau	'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios	215,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km	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%	Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
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.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.56 male(s)/female total population: 1.47 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	none
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: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Telephones - main lines in use	96,000 (1997)	915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular	6,152 (1997)	1 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	15 (1997)
Terrain	long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills	flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Total fertility rate	2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.)	3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.9% (2001 est.)	NA%
Waterways	none	none

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