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Compare Bahamas, The (2004) - Spratly Islands (2001)
Compare Bahamas, The (2004) z Spratly Islands (2001)
| Bahamas, The (2004) | Spratly Islands (2001) | |
 |  | |
| 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: 28.3% (male 42,474; female 42,423)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 96,825; female 99,985) 65 years and over: 6% (male 7,351; female 10,639) (2004 est.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | citrus, vegetables; poultry | - |
| Airports | 63 (2003 est.) | 4 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 29
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.) |
total:
3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 13,940 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km |
total:
less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | NA |
| 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. | Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces |
| Birth rate | 18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 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 |
| Coastline | 3,542 km | 926 km |
| Constitution | 10 July 1973 | - |
| Country name | conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
| Currency | Bahamian dollar (BSD) | - |
| Death rate | 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
| Debt - external | $308.5 million (2002) | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD
embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours) 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 | concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and political conditions | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island; in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding confidence building measure |
| 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 half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. 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 more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce. | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. |
| Electricity - consumption | 1.451 billion kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - production | 1.56 billion kWh (2001) | - |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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, 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 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999) | - |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame 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 | NA (2001) | - |
| Exports - commodities | fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables | - |
| Exports - partners | US 35%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 7.8%, France 7.6%, Poland 5.3%, Switzerland 4.8%, Peru 4.2%, Paraguay 4.2% (2003) | - |
| 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 - $5.049 billion (2003 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.) |
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| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 0% (2003 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 24 15 N, 76 00 W | 8 38 N, 111 55 E |
| Geography - note | strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs |
| Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
| Highways | total: 2,693 km
paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.) |
- |
| 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 | NA (2001) | - |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals | - |
| Imports - partners | US 20.8%, South Korea 17.4%, Italy 11.4%, France 9.1%, Brazil 7.5%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003) | - |
| Independence | 10 July 1973 (from UK) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA (2002 est.) | - |
| Industries | tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe | - |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
- |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2002 est.) | - |
| International organization participation | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts | - |
| Labor force | 156,000 (1999) | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.) | - |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0.8%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 98.8% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
| Languages | English (official), 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); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time
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: 65.63 years
male: 62.21 years female: 69.11 years (2004 est.) |
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| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.) |
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| Location | Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
NA |
| Merchant marine | total: 1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252 GRT/43,025,977 DWT
by type: bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20 foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada 4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49, Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13, Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2 registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.) |
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| Military - note | - | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam |
| Military branches | Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard) | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
| 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 | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals |
| Natural resources | salt, aragonite, timber, arable land | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential |
| Net migration rate | -2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 | 299,697
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 2004 est.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA | - |
| Population growth rate | 0.72% (2004 est.) | - |
| Ports and harbors | Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau | none; offshore anchorage only |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) | - |
| 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 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
| Telephone system | general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: country code - 1-242; 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 | 131,700 (2003) | - |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 121,800 (2002) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 2 (2004) | - |
| Terrain | long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills | flat |
| Total fertility rate | 2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.) | - |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2001 est.) | - |
| Waterways | - | none |
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