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subscriptions and 717 internet users per 1,000 people (2012). e

KEY FACTS 2012 Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Labour Day (first Friday in June), B Population per sq km: 27 a Independence Day (10 July), Emancipation Day (first Monday in h

Life expectancy: 75 years a

August), Discovery Day (12 October), Christmas Day and Boxing m Net primary enrolment: 98% (2010) Day. a Population: 372,000 (2012); 67 per cent of people live in New s Providence, 84 per cent in urban areas; growth 1.7 per cent p.a. Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year 1990–2012; birth rate 15 per 1,000 people (31 in 1970); life include Good Friday, Easter Monday and Whit Monday. expectancy 75 years (66 in 1970).

Bahamians are largely of African (85 per cent), Afro-European and Economy European origin, as the indigenous Arawaks were wiped out. KEY FACTS 2012

Language: English is the official and first language; a French-based GNI: US$7.7bn Creole is spoken by Haitian immigrants. GNI p.c.: US$20,600 GDP growth: –0.4% p.a. 2008–12 Religion: Mainly Christians (Baptists 35 per cent, Anglicans 15 per Inflation: 2.6% p.a. 2008–12 cent, Roman Catholics 14 per cent, Pentecostals eight per cent, Church of God, Methodists; 2000 census). is among the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean region. With independence in 1973, the country freed itself from Health: Public spending on health was four per cent of GDP in the UK’s exchange-control legislation and set up an offshore 2011. has the Princess Margaret Hospital, mental hospital and rehabilitation unit, geriatric hospital, private hospital, with an emergency facility, and private clinic which undertakes Real Growth in GDP plastic surgery. has a general hospital and the Out Islands cottage hospitals. In addition there are medical centres and % 2 clinics, and a flying doctor and dentist service covers the islands. 1 Some 96 per cent of the population uses an improved drinking water source (2011). Infant mortality was 14 per 1,000 live births 0 in 2012 (51 in 1960). In 2012, 3.3 per cent of people aged 15–49 -1 were HIV positive. -2 Education: There are 12 years of compulsory education starting at the age of five. Primary school comprises six years and secondary -3 six. Some 89 per cent of pupils complete primary school (2009). -4 The school year starts in September. -5 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 The College of The Bahamas, the country’s leading higher education institution, provides a diverse curriculum with courses leading to bachelor’s degree level. The Eugene Dupuch Law School opened in September 1998, as a part of the University of the West Inflation Indies. It offers the same curriculum as the Norman Manley Law % 5 School in and the Hugh Wooding Law School in . The University of the West Indies has an extra-mural 4 department in Nassau and main campuses in , Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Other government-assisted higher 3 technical and professional schools and private colleges provide clerical, secretarial, accounting and computer training. 2 Media: Daily newspapers are The Freeport News , The Nassau Guardian and The Tribune ; The Punch is published twice weekly, 1 and there are several weeklies. 0 The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas provides public 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 radio and TV services, comprising one TV channel and several radio stations; there are several private radio stations. Cable TV is widely available. GGDP by Sector (2012) There are 123 personal computers per 1,000 people (2005).

Communications: Country code 1 242; internet domain ‘.bs’. Agriculture 2.0% Coin- and card-operated phone booths on all the islands; Industry 14.2% phonecards can be purchased at shops and post offices. Mobile phone coverage is mainly good; it is patchy in some of the more Services 83.8% remote islands.

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014 banking and investment industry; it is now a significant financial s Constitution e centre and ship registry, among the largest in the world in terms of i r Status: Monarchy under Queen t gross tonnage registered. Since 1717 there has been virtually no

n Elizabeth II tax on individuals or companies. Government revenue is raised u Legislature: Parliament of The Bahamas o through a range of excise duties and fees. c

Independence: 10 July 1973 r Though agricultural and forestry production and commercial fishing e The Bahamas is a constitutional monarchy recognising Queen b expanded from the 1990s, and the country is an exporter of fruit Elizabeth II as head of state. She is represented by a Governor- m and vegetables as well as seafood, it nevertheless imports most of e General chosen on the advice of the cabinet. The country is a its foodstuffs and consumer goods, and is strongly influenced by m parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature. The Senate the economic climate in the USA, not least because the majority of h has 16 members, nine appointed on the advice of the Prime t l its tourist visitors are from that country.

a Minister, four on the advice of the opposition leader, and three e From the early 1990s, facing severe recession, the government after joint discussions. The House of Assembly (presently of 38 w introduced an economic reform programme which emphasised elected members, 41 before the 2012 elections, 40 before the n o fiscal responsibility, privatisation of government-owned hotels, 2007 elections and 49 before the 1997 elections) is directly elected m investment promotion, infrastructure development and on a district basis for a term not exceeding five years; elections are m diversification of the economy. From the mid-1990s, as the USA on the basis of universal adult suffrage. o

C came out of recession, this resulted in a long period of good A commission meets at intervals of not less than five years to growth with modest inflation. review the constituency boundaries. The constitution allows for The economy stalled in 2001–02, reflecting the downturn in the three distinct types of legislation: the ‘specially entrenched’ USA and consequent fall in tourism. Good growth and modest provisions relating to parliament itself and the judicial system inflation resumed from 2003, until the world economic downturn require a three-quarters majority in both houses and a popular caused a sharp fall in tourism and offshore financial services and referendum; ‘entrenched’ provisions require a two-thirds majority in the economy moved sharply into recession, shrinking by more than both houses; and other legislation a simple majority vote. four per cent in 2009, then recovering from 2010. There was In January 2012, the government introduced changes in the growth of 1.7 per cent in 2011 and 1.8 per cent in 2012, Bahamas Parliamentary Elections Act that allowed limited overseas continuing in 2013–14. voting for nationals and permitted independent observers to observe the election process.

History

The Bahamas was one of the few areas in the region in which In 1861–65 the islands enjoyed prosperity as a depot for ships the Arawak people were not displaced by the more warlike running the blockade against the Confederate States during the Caribs. When, in 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first American Civil War. Decline followed, however, compounded by landing in the New World in The Bahamas, the people who met a severe hurricane in 1866. him were Arawaks who, he wrote, ‘have opened their hearts to Prosperity returned in the 20th century, when the islands became us. We have become great friends.’ Columbus is believed to have an entrepot for the American bootlegging trade during prohibition. landed at Watling’s Island (Amerindian: Guanahani; Columbus’s More conventional industries also developed, supplying sisal, conch designation: San Salvador). But within some 20 years, the shells for cameo brooch-making, pineapples and sponges. The Spaniards had enslaved or transported the Arawaks; some sponge industry reached a peak in 1901 during generally lean years 40,000 were transported to Hispaniola where they died working but collapsed in 1939 as a result of fungal diseases. In the early in mines. British pirates also used the islands, and in 1629 the 1950s the islands again prospered; the success of tourism, and later islands were given their first constitution as part of the Carolinas offshore banking, produced phenomenal growth. In 1953, the (USA). The first British settlers were refugees from religious Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was founded to represent black persecution under Charles I, in Cigatoo in 1648. The island was interests in a system till then still dominated by whites. renamed Eleuthera, meaning freedom. The settlers introduced In 1964, a new constitution set up a ministerial system of the plantation economy and African slave labour. government, and the legislature was reformed to represent An early form of democratic government, with a bicameral majority interests. After the subsequent general election in 1967, parliament and elected lower house, developed but was the United Bahamian Party (the so-called ‘Bay Street Boys’) was abolished in 1717, when the Crown resumed government. forced into opposition for the first time in the assembly’s history. Although the other colonial powers did not formally dispute , leader of the PLP, formed a government with the possession, the settlers were at times harassed by the French and support of the Labour Party. The PLP won the next two general Spanish as well as by pirates. Fortunes fluctuated. The population elections outright, and Pindling led The Bahamas to soared in the late 18th century with the arrival from America of independence under a new constitution on 10 July 1973. Loyalist families and their slaves after the American Revolution. In Pindling and the PLP continued in power until 1992, when they 1783–84 the population was 4,058; by 1789, it was more than were ousted by the (FNM), led by 11,000, with the white settlers forming a significant minority. The , a former PLP minister, the FNM winning 32 abolition of slavery in 1834 caused major economic changes as seats to the PLP’s 17. Subsequent investigations gave the FNM the islands had been used as a centre of slave-trading. another seat, taking their total to 33.

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014 Politics Traveller information T h e

Last elections: 7 May 2012 Immigration and customs: Passports must be valid for at least six B

Next elections: 2017 months from the date of departure. Visas are required by most a h

Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented Commonwealth nationals. Prohibited imports include plants and a by Governor-General, Dame fruit. m Marguerite Pindling (2014–) a Travel within the country: Traffic drives on the left and car hire is s Head of government: Prime Minister available on the larger islands to drivers aged 25 or over. A foreign Ruling party: Progressive Liberal Party driving licence can be used for the first three months of stay. The Women MPs: 13% wearing of seat belts is mandatory. The March 1997 elections were won by the Free National Air-conditioned ferries and scheduled flights run between the Movement (FNM), led by Hubert Ingraham, securing 34 seats, the principal islands, and air charter services are available. remaining seats being taken by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). After the elections Sir Lynden Pindling, who had led the PLP for 32 Minibuses ( Jitneys ) operate in Freeport and Nassau. Taxis are the years, stood down and was replaced by Perry Christie. main form of transport on the smaller islands, where there is no public transport. Most taxis are metered and rates are government- In May 2002, the PLP won a landslide victory, taking 29 seats and controlled. Christie became Prime Minister. The FNM took seven and independents four. Travel health: Prevalent diseases where appropriate precautionary measures are recommended include dengue fever, hepatitis A and Tommy Turnquest, who had succeeded Ingraham as FNM leader hepatitis B. before the elections, lost his seat, but was subsequently appointed to the Senate. There were 1,419,000 tourist arrivals in 2012.

Three years after stepping down as leader of the FNM, Hubert Ingraham returned to head the party in November 2005, Further information subsequently leading it to victory in the general elections of May Government of The Bahamas: www.bahamas.gov.bs 2007 – FNM taking 23 seats and PLP 18. The turnout was 91 per Department of Statistics: statistics.bahamas.gov.bs cent of registered electors. Central Bank of The Bahamas: www.centralbankbahamas.com On the retirement of Arthur Dion Hanna in April 2010 Sir Arthur Ministry of Tourism: www.bahamas.com Foulkes succeeded him as Governor-General. Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org In the May 2012 general election the PLP won 29 seats and the Commonwealth of Nations: FNM nine, and PLP leader Perry Christie was sworn in as Prime www.commonwealthofnations.org/country/Bahamas_The Minister. After the election Ingraham resigned as leader of the FNM.

Governor-General Sir retired on 8 July 2014 and Media was succeeded by Dame Marguerite Pindling, widow of the The Freeport News: freeport.nassauguardian.net country’s first Prime Minister, Sir Lynden Pindling. She was also the The Nassau Guardian: www.thenassauguardian.com country’s first ever Deputy Governor-General for seven months before taking over from Foulkes. The Punch: nassaupunch.com The Tribune: www.tribune242.com International relations Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas: www.znsbahamas.com The Bahamas is a member of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, Association of Caribbean States, Caribbean Community (though not the CARICOM Single Market and Economy), Non-Aligned Movement, Organization of American States and United Nations.

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The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014