Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Perry Christie
Population
6,961,049
316,182
Life Expectancy
63.170 years
71.440 years
Capital City
Nassau
Largest city
Lome (population: 749,700)
Nassau (population: 227,940)
Human Development Index
0.479
NA
GDP per capita
$31,400 US
Literacy Rate
60.9%
95.6%
Corruption Perception Index
2.7
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
11.1%
NA
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
14.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
NA
Political System
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Independence date
10 July 1973 (from UK)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
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
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Exports
mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
External Debt
$342,600,000 US
Exchange Rate
Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Area
56,785 km sq
13,880 km sq
Coastline
56 km
3,542 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
