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Compare Bahamas, The (2005) - Saint Helena (2008)

Compare Bahamas, The (2005) z Saint Helena (2008)

 Bahamas, The (2005)Saint Helena (2008)
 Bahamas, TheSaint Helena
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 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)


65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 716/female 691)


15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,755/female 2,608)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 358/female 415) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock
Airports 63 (2004 est.) 1 (2007)
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


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
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.)
-
Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total: 413 sq km


land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly more than twice 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. Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.


Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.


Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.


Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.
Birth rate 17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 11.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY03/04)
revenues: $13.09 million


expenditures: $32.16 million


note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
Capital Nassau name: Jamestown


geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds


Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid


Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Coastline 3,542 km Saint Helena: 60 km


Ascension Island: NA


Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 1 January 1989
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Saint Helena
Death rate 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.63 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $308.5 million (2002) $NA
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
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
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 have not been able to agree on the alignment of a maritime boundary with the US; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability none
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995) $29.56 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07)
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. The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
Electricity - consumption 1.596 billion kWh (2002) 7.44 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.716 billion kWh (2002) 8 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 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
-
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000) Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)


note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
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
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Exports transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals; fruit and vegetables fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports - partners US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.3% (2004) Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2004 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W


Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W


Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa
Heliports 1 (2004 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%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center -
Imports NA 64.07 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%, Venezuela 6.6% (2004) UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA NA%
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales
Infant mortality rate total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 17.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (year ending September 2004) 3.2% (1997 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) UPU
Irrigated land NA NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Labor force 156,000 (1999) 2,486


note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.) agriculture: 6%


industry: 48%


services: 46% (1987 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
arable land: 12.9%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 87.1% (2005)
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) English
Legal system based on English common law English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes
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
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Life expectancy at birth total population: 65.54 years


male: 62.11 years


female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)
total population: 78.09 years


male: 75.19 years


female: 81.15 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 20 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1987 est.)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 1,119


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24


foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9, China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1, Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2, Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004) -
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA -
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
noun: Saint Helenian(s)


adjective: Saint Helenian


note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land fish, lobster
Net migration rate -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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 none
Population 301,790


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 2005 est.)
7,543


note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 0.67% (2005 est.) 0.53% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point -
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0


Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
Religions Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
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 (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.056 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female


total population: 1.031 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal NA years of age
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)
general assessment: can communicate worldwide


domestic: automatic digital network


international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Telephones - main lines in use 131,700 (2003) 2,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 121,800 (2002) -
Television broadcast stations 2 (2004) 0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge


Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains


Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east


Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Total fertility rate 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Transportation - note - there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2004 est.) 14% (1998 est.)
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