Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Perry Christie
Population
10,767,827
316,182
Life Expectancy
80.050 years
71.440 years
Capital City
Athens
Nassau
Largest city
Athens (population: 729,137)
Nassau (population: 227,940)
Human Development Index
0.947
NA
GDP per capita
$26,600 US
$31,400 US
Literacy Rate
96%
95.6%
Corruption Perception Index
4.7
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
14.7%
NA
Wealthiest Citizens
Spiro Latsis & family ($3.8bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
17.300%
14.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished
NA
Political System
parliamentary republic
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Independence date
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
10 July 1973 (from UK)
Religions
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
Languages
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Exports
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
External Debt
$583,300,000,000 $
$342,600,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.300%
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
0
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Area
131,957 km sq
13,880 km sq
Coastline
13,676 km
3,542 km
Climate
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
