bilateral Relations

BAHAMAS

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.

Geography

Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.
Area total : 13,940 sq km
water : 3,870 sq km
land : 10,070 sq km
Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream.
Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land.
Geography – note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited.

People Population: 297,477
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 2003 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.77% (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun : Bahamian(s)
adjective: Bahamian

Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%.

Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants).

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General 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).
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.

Cabinet:

1. Prime Minister / Minister of Finance :Hon. Perry G. Christie
2. Deputy Prime Minister/ Minister of State Security :Hon. Cynthia A. Pratt
3. Minister of Public Work and Facilities :Hon. Bradley B. Roberts
4. Minister of Labor and Immigration :Hon. Vincent A. Peet
5. Minister of Tourism :Hon. Obediah H. Wilchcombe
6. Minister of Foreign Service/ Public Service : Hon. Frederick A. Mitchell
7. Minister of Education/ Attorney General :Hon. Alfred M. Sears
8. Minister of Trade and Industry :Hon. Leslie O. Miller
9. Minister of Farming, Fisheries and Local Governments :Hon. V. Alfred Gray
10. Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture :Hon. Neville W. Wisdom
11. Minister of Social Services and Social development :Hon. Melanie S. Griffin
12. Minister of Transportation and Air Lines :Hon. Glenys M. E. Hanna Martin
13. Minister of Financial Services and Investment : Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson
14. Minister of Housing and National Insurance : Hon. D. Shane Gibson
15. Minister of Health : Hon. Sen. Dr. Marcus C. Bethel
16. State Minister for Finance Ministry of Finance :Sen. Hon. James H. Smith

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)
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.

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 2002. 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 most of the visitors.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.2 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0.1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3%
industry: 7%
services: 90% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2001 est.)

Exports: $560.7 million (2002 est.)

Exports – commodities: fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners: US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.9% (2000)

Imports: $1.86 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners: US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000)

Debt - external: $371.6 million (2001)

Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Highways: total: 2,693 km
paved: 1,546 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1997)

Ports and harbors: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine: total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778 GRT/46,202,085 DWT

ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)

BILATERAL RELATIONS

	BAHAMAS 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. Geography Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba. Area total : 13,940 sq km water : 3,870 sq km land : 10,070 sq km Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream. Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land. Geography – note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited. People Population: 297,477 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 2003 est.) Population growth rate: 0.77% (2003 est.) Nationality: noun : Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%. Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants). National flag of Bahamas Government Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy Capital: Nassau Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973 Constitution: 10 July 1973 Legal system: based on English common law Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General 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). 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. Cabinet: 1. Prime Minister / Minister of Finance :Hon. Perry G. Christie 2. Deputy Prime Minister/ Minister of State Security :Hon. Cynthia A. Pratt 3. Minister of Public Work and Facilities :Hon. Bradley B. Roberts 4. Minister of Labor and Immigration :Hon. Vincent A. Peet 5. Minister of Tourism :Hon. Obediah H. Wilchcombe 6. Minister of Foreign Service/ Public Service : Hon. Frederick A. Mitchell 7. Minister of Education/ Attorney General :Hon. Alfred M. Sears 8. Minister of Trade and Industry :Hon. Leslie O. Miller 9. Minister of Farming, Fisheries and Local Governments :Hon. V. Alfred Gray 10. Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture :Hon. Neville W. Wisdom 11. Minister of Social Services and Social development :Hon. Melanie S. Griffin 12. Minister of Transportation and Air Lines :Hon. Glenys M. E. Hanna Martin 13. Minister of Financial Services and Investment : Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson 14. Minister of Housing and National Insurance : Hon. D. Shane Gibson 15. Minister of Health : Hon. Sen. Dr. Marcus C. Bethel 16. State Minister for Finance Ministry of Finance :Sen. Hon. James H. Smith 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) 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. Economy 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 2002. 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 most of the visitors. GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.2 billion (2002 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 0.1% (2002 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,000 (2002 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.) Labor force: 156,000 (1999) Labor force - by occupation: tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2001 est.) Exports: $560.7 million (2002 est.) Exports – commodities: fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables Exports - partners: US 28.2%, France 16.5%, Germany 14.1%, UK 12.9% (2000) Imports: $1.86 billion (2002 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals Imports - partners: US 31.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Italy 17.4%, Japan 5.8% (2000) Debt - external: $371.6 million (2001) Currency: Bahamian dollar (BSD) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Transportation Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997) Ports and harbors: Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau Merchant marine: total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778 GRT/46,202,085 DWT ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.) Airports: 64 (2002)