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

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

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Bahamas, The (2006)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryBahamas, The
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: 27.5% (male 41,799/female 41,733)


15-64 years: 66.1% (male 98,847/female 102,074)


65 years and over: 6.4% (male 7,891/female 11,426) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products - citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 1 (2001) 64 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 35


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 22 (2006)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Connecticut
Background 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 which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. Lucayan 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.
Birth rate - 17.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget - revenues: $1.03 billion


expenditures: $1.03 billion; including capital expenditures of $130 million (FY04/05)
Capital - name: Nassau


geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 698 km 3,542 km
Constitution - 10 July 1973
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
Death rate - 9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external - $342.6 million (2004 est.)
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 none (overseas territory of the UK) 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; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: vacant


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability
Economic aid - recipient - $5 million (2004)
Economy - overview 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 Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 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. The current government has presided over a period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private sector investments in tourism. 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.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 1.683 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 1.81 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Environment - current issues NA coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
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%
Exchange rates - Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)


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
Exports - transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)
Exports - commodities - mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners - US 31%, Spain 29.7%, Poland 9.3%, Germany 5.6%, Guatemala 4.1% (2005)
Fiscal year - 1 July - 30 June
Flag description 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 three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 3.7% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2006)
Highways total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: 27%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports - NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities - machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners - US 22.5%, South Korea 20.2%, Spain 7.8%, Brazil 7.1%, Italy 6.5%, Germany 5.4% (2005)
Independence - 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - NA%
Industries - tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate - total: 24.68 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 30.29 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 1.2% ( 2004)
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, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 10 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch - Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; magistrates courts
Labor force - 176,300 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.58%


permanent crops: 0.29%


other: 99.13% (2005)
Languages - English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply 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
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 65.6 years


male: 62.24 years


female: 69.03 years (2006 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Map references Political Map of the World Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 1,177 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,743,270 GRT/50,918,747 DWT


by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 253, cargo 250, chemical tanker 64, container 79, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2, passenger 115, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 175, refrigerated cargo 114, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 30


foreign-owned: 1,093 (Angola 5, Australia 2, Belgium 13, Canada 18, China 3, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 59, Estonia 1, Finland 8, France 37, Germany 22, Greece 232, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 1, India 1, Indonesia 4, Ireland 2, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 51, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 17, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24, Nigeria 2, Norway 259, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 12, Slovenia 1, Spain 12, Sweden 6, Switzerland 2, Thailand 1, Turkey 8, UAE 16, UK 69, Uruguay 2, US 121, Venezuela 1)


registered in other countries: 4 (Barbados 1, Liberia 1, Panama 2) (2006)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Marines, Air Wing (2006)
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 NA hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Net migration rate - -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population 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 around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
303,770


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 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line - 9.3% (2004)
Population growth rate - 0.64% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios NA -
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)
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 (2006 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
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 - 2 (2005)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 139,900 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 186,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 2 (2006)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate - 2.18 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate - 10.2% (2005 est.)
Waterways none -
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