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Compare Western Sahara (2005) - Bahamas, The (2004)

Compare Western Sahara (2005) z Bahamas, The (2004)

 Western Sahara (2005)Bahamas, The (2004)
 Western SaharaBahamas, The
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 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: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA
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 fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 11 (2004 est.) 63 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
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.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Connecticut
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. 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.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population 18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $918.5 million


expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY99/00)
Capital none Nassau
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 1,110 km 3,542 km
Constitution - 10 July 1973
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
Currency - Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external NA $308.5 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none 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
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and political conditions
Economic aid - recipient NA $9.8 million (1995)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. 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.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (2002) 1.451 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (2002) 1.56 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 Arab, Berber black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999)
Executive branch none 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
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts 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 calendar 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: NA


industry: NA


services: 40% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - NA purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA 0% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 6,200 km


paved: 1,350 km


unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
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
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts 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 NA (2002 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
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) NA 1.7% (2002 est.)
International organization participation none 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 NA sq km
Judicial branch - Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Labor force 12,000 156,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2001)
arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic 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
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years
total population: 65.63 years


male: 62.21 years


female: 69.11 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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.)
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: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
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 none NA
Population 273,008 (July 2005 est.) 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.)
Population below poverty line NA NA
Population growth rate NA 0.72% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Muslim Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
Sex ratio NA 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.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 131,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 121,800 (2002)
Television broadcast stations NA 2 (2004)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman 2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 6.9% (2001 est.)
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