BAHAMAS: general data

POPULATION STATISTICS: historical demography of all countries, their divisions and towns

BAHAMAS

general data of the country

General useful information

Note: some data are of constant value, while other are due to changes, fluctuations etc.

Nation and population

official name (short form): The Bahamas

country code ISO: BS [BHS] //; - FIPS: BF

location: Eastern North America, in the Atlantic Ocean, North of the West Indies and Caribbean region

time zone: -5 UT [*= applying daylight saving time]

surface (land) area: 13939 sq.km = 5382 sq.mi //; - area incl. inland waters: sq.km = sq.mi

geographical position in extreme co-ordinates: North: 27° N / South: 20° N / East: 72° W / West: 79° W

borders (land): none

borders (coastline): none

climate: subtropical marine, Caribbean

Government

independent since: 1973-07-10

type of government: constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom

capital: Nassau

administrative division: 2: New Providence + Family (Out) Islands ; district (18)

Population

population according to the last three censuses: (1980): 209,500 ; (1990): 255,095 ; (2000): 303,611

total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 294,982; //; or: 303,000 ; 2001: 310,000 //; or: 2002: 314,000

population density: 23 per sq.km = 60 per sq.mi

population growth: 2% //; - doubling time: 52 years

birth rate: 19-21 per 1000

death rate: 5-7 per 1000

fertility rate: 2 children per female

maternal mortality: per 100,000

infant mortality (in the first year of life): 16 per 1000

infant mortality (from 1st - 4th year of life): 13 - 21 per 1000

life expectancy: 70,5 years (male: 67-69; female: 74-77)

age breakdown: 0-14 years: 29% //; - 15-59 years: 64% //; - 60+ years: 7%

urbanisation: 88% //; - urbanisation growth: 2,3%

percentage of urban population in the greatest city: 85%

Ethnic composition, language, religion

ethnic groups: black 72-73%, mixed 14%, white 12-13%

language: English, English Creole

religious affiliation: Christian 95% (Protestant: 13%, Roman Catholic 5%, Anglican 3%, other 74%)

Health

daily food intake: 2546 calories per capita

population with access to safe water: 97%

people per physician: 700 - 943

people per hospital bed:

Education, literacy

school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 96%

school enrolment: secondary education: 58% [later figure found: 79%]

school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 14%

adult literacy: 96% (male: 95%; female: 96%)

Economy and infrastructure

Economy and trade

currency: Bahamian dollar = 100 cents

annual inflation rate: 2,2 - 2,7%

population below poverty line: %

Gross Domestic Product: USD 3200 per capita

GNI USD 14960 per capita //; - [ppp: 16400]

GDP growth: 0,1%

income: USD 11700 per capita

import: USD 1593 per capita //; - export: USD 2920 per capita

trade: USD 21531 per capita //; - or 55% of GDP

trade partners: US EU SA CA NI CH KR PE JP NO

human development index: 0,82 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 42

female labour force: 47%

unemployment: 8 - 9%

tourism: 1,4 - 3,3 million

Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy

land use: arable land: 1% //; - grass land: 0% //; - wooded area: 32% //; - arid land and desert: %

agriculture: labour force: 4-5% //; - part of agriculture in GDP: 2-3%

agricultural products: fishing, poultry, fruit, citrusfruits, rum, vegetables

livestock (1000s): cattle: 0,7-2 / goats: 13,9-14,8 / pigs: 4,9-13 / poultry: 1600-5000 / sheep: 5,7-37

fish catch: 10502 metric tonnes

industry: labour force: 10-17% //; - part of industry in GDP: 9-14%

industrial products: pharmaceutical and chemical products, cement

mining products: salt, aragonite

CO2 emission per capita: 6,1

services: labour force: 79-91% //; - part of services in GDP: 83%

energy use (kg per capita): 6864

electricity use (per capita):

annual water use (per capita):

Traffic, communication

road network: 2450 km //; - of which paved: 57% [1546] //; - of which are motorways: 0 km

vehicles: 65000 ; or 297 per 1000 // international license plate: BS

railways: 0 km //; - railways passenger/km: -

navigable inland waterways: 0 km

ownership telephone: 277 - 400 per 1000 // international dialling code: +1242

ownership radio receivers: 282 - 739 per 1000

ownership tv-sets: 233 per 1000

newspaper circulation: 126 per 1000

persons per post office: 2040

personal computers: per 1000

Some physical landmarks

mountains: Mount Alvernia 63 m on Cat Island is the highest mentioned elevation

lowest point: sea level

lakes (natural): Lake Rosa on Great Iguana; and a lot of small lakes on Andros Island

lakes (artificial reservoirs): unknown

lakes (deepest): unknown

rivers: no rivers of importance shown on maps at the disposal of the compiler

canals: unknown

waterfalls: unknown

caves: longest system: unknown / deepest:

islands: see the separate file of the administrative division

deserts: none

other natural features:

Additional remarks, especially on the statistical information

other important features:

apart from physical landmarks most of the above figures are changeable, in most cases they date from the 1990's

The Bahamas are formed by an archipelago of some 700 islands and 2400 cays; only 50 of them are inhabited

primary sources used for the general information:

BB CA DK EV FW PW WA WB WR, and some - local national or international - statistical yearbooks

particulars concerning population data:

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next To the page containing the historical population growth statistics of the provinces

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Internet website: Official site of the Bahamas

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POPULATION STATISTICS: historical demography of all countries, their divisions and towns

general data of the country