Country Profile

INDEPENDENT CARICOM MEMBER CDEMA PARTICIPATING STATE STATE STATE OPERATIONAL PRESENCE 1 UN AGENCIES National Emergency NGOs Management Agency (NEMA) 3 1

Coverage from UN RC’s Office in Coordination KEY FIGURES POPULATION 2 80-84 351,461 70-74 60-64 50-54 40-44 30-34 20-24 10-14 0-4 SEASONAL RISK RECENT DISASTERS 5 GDP PER CAPITA 3 URBAN POPULATION 4 2004 HURRICANE SEASON JAN US$30,762 82.9% 9K PEOPLE (High Income) AFFECTED FEB POVERTY RATE 2 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX 4 2011 12.5% 0.807 10K PEOPLE (60 out of 189 countries) MAR AFFECTED COVID-19 2015 HURRICANE JOAQUIN Just as The Bahamas was beginning to recover from the widespread devastation caused by PEOPLE APR 6.7K in September 2019, which affected 15,000 people and caused $7 billion in AFFECTED total damages,5 the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in full force, triggering a deep recession. The Bahamas’ GDP is expected to decline by 6.8 per cent in 2020,6 as tourism, which 2016 contributes 47.5 per cent to total GDP and 55.6 per cent to total employment,7 has come to MAY a standstill. A recent WFP-led survey found that 47 per cent of people had either lost their 600M IN TOTAL jobs, or had their salaries reduced, while 66 per cent reported an increase in food prices.8 DAMAGES JUN 2019 HURRICANE DORIAN For the most recent update on the COVID-19 caseload, see the PAHO daily reported COVID-19 data. For the latest information on curfews and other measures, click here. 370 TOTAL KEY ISSUES JUL DEATHS SOCIO-ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY MOST COMMON DISASTER Despite boasting the highest GDP per capita in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),3 AUG TYPE (2000-2019) 5 The Bahamas continues to suffer from increasing levels of inequality, poverty and underemployment.9 The ranks of the ‘working poor’ continue to grow, as 45 per cent of the poor are employed but do not earn enough to support their families.9 In particular, Haitian migrants, who make up 11.5 per cent of the population, are among the most SEP STORM 9 vulnerable, experiencing levels of poverty more than three times the national rate. 15 COASTAL URBANIZATION OCT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY The Bahamas is the most urbanized country in the Caribbean, with its rate of urbanization DISASTERS (2000-2019) 5 projected to triple by 2050.7 More than 70 per cent of the population lives in Nassau, which faces several challenges including economic and health problems, high levels of NOV 53K violent crime and poverty and poorly constructed informal settlements.7 Moreover, 82.8 TOTAL DAMAGES CAUSED per cent of the population resides less than 10m above sea level and 94.9 per cent within 5 5km of the coastline, making The Bahamas extremely vulnerable to the effects of natural DEC BY DISASTERS (2000-2019) hazards and climate change.7 $9.63B CRIME AND VIOLENCE 11 Crime and violence have risen drastically in the recent past, mainly concentrated in New LAC INFORM RISK (Max 10) Providence Island. There has been an increasing involvement of street gangs in illegal drug trade, arms smuggling and human trafficking.7 The number of murders in The Bahamas more than doubled between 2001 and 2011,10 reaching a peak of 146 in 2015.7 Gender-based violence is also a concern, with The Bahamas ranking among the top three 7 CYCLONE EARTHQUAKE FLOODS countries in the Caribbean for tolerance of physical violence against women. 9.2 0.1 0.1

The numbers presented are for orientation and not conclusive. Sources: 1. OCHA 3W as of June 2020 / 2. Department of Statistics (The Bahamas) / 3. World Bank / 4. UNDP / 5. CRED EM-DAT / 6. ECLAC / 7. Inter-American Development Bank / 8. WFP, FAO, CARICOM / 9. Government of The Bahamas / 10. Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance / 11. http://www.inform-index.org. Creation date: 2020 July. Feedback: [email protected].