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Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ Explore All Countries — Bahamas, The Central America INTRODUCTION Background 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. Piracy thrived in the 17th and 18th centuries because of The Bahamas close proximity to shipping lanes. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas has prospered through tourism, international banking, and investment management, which comprise up to 85% of GDP. Because of its proximity to the US - the nearest Bahamian landmass being only 80 km (50 mi) from Florida - the country is a major transshipment point for illicit trafficking, particularly to the US mainland, as well as Europe. US law enforcement agencies cooperate closely with The Bahamas, and the US Coast Guard assists Bahamian authorities in coastal defense through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or OPBAT. GEOGRAPHY Location chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W Map references 1 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ Central America and the Caribbean Area total: 13,880 sq km land: 10,010 sq km water: 3,870 sq km country comparison to the world: 160 Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries total: 0 km Coastline 3,542 km Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Elevation lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: 1.3 km NE of Old Bight on Cat Island 64 m Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land Land use agricultural land: 1.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2018 est.) forest: 51.4% (2018 est.) other: 47.2% (2018 est.) Irrigated land 10 sq km (2012) Total renewable water resources 2 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.) Population distribution most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited PEOPLE AND SOCIETY Population 352,655 (July 2021 est.) 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected country comparison to the world: 178 Nationality noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic groups Black 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.) note: data represent population by racial group Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Religions Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant .9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 38,811/female 37,719) 15-24 years: 14.91% (male 26,636/female 25,945) 25-54 years: 43.56% (male 76,505/female 77,119) 55-64 years: 10.75% (male 17,508/female 20,391) 65 years and over: 9.08% (male 12,587/female 19,434) (2021 est.) 3 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ Dependency ratios total dependency ratio: 41.5 youth dependency ratio: 30.6 elderly dependency ratio: 11 potential support ratio: 9.1 (2020 est.) Median age total: 32.8 years male: 31.7 years female: 34 years (2020 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 Population growth rate 0.84% (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 Birth rate 14.78 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 Death rate 6.34 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 Population distribution most of the population lives in urban areas, with two-thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located Urbanization urban population: 83.2% of total population (2020) rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) Major urban areas - population 280,000 NASSAU (capital) (2018) Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 4 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ 55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) Maternal mortality rate 70 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 Infant mortality rate total: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.87 years male: 72.93 years female: 78.9 years (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 Total fertility rate 1.98 children born/woman (2021 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 Drinking water source improved: total: 98.9% of population unimproved: total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.) Current Health Expenditure 6.3% (2018) Physicians density 2.01 physicians/1,000 population (2017) Hospital bed density 3 beds/1,000 population (2017) Sanitation facility access improved: total: 98.2% of population unimproved: total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 1.8% (2018 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 6,000 (2018 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 HIV/AIDS - deaths <200 (2018) 5 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ Obesity - adult prevalence rate 31.6% (2016) country comparison to the world: 21 Education expenditures NA Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 total: 25.8% male: 20.8% female: 31.6% (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 ENVIRONMENT Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Air pollutants particulate matter emissions: 17.56 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 1.79 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.23 megatons (2020 est.) Total water withdrawal municipal: 31 million cubic meters (2017 est.) Total renewable water resources 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.) Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Land use agricultural land: 1.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.2% (2018 est.) forest: 51.4% (2018 est.) other: 47.2% (2018 est.) Revenue from forest resources Forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 Revenue from coal 6 of 17 4/27/2021, 8:50 AM Bahamas, The - The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ Coal revenues: 0 % of GDP (2018 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 Urbanization urban population: 83.2% of total population (2020) rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) Waste and recycling municipal solid waste generated annually: 264,000 tons (2015 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas etymology: name derives from the Spanish "baha mar," meaning "shallow sea," which describes the shallow waters of the Bahama Banks Government type parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm 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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November etymology: named after William III (1650-1702), king of England, Scotland, and Ireland, who was a member of the House of Nassau Administrative divisions 31 districts; Acklins Islands, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island,