Official name: COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS
Short name: The Bahamas
Date of membership: 25 March 1998
Capital: Nassau
Geography
Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.
Area: 13,940 sq km
Coastline: 3,542 km
Natural resources: Salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Environment – international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection.
Economic indicators
| Total at current prices | 8 898 | Millones USD | 2016 |
| Per capita at current prices | 22 657 | USD | 2016 |
| Growth rate per capita at constant prices | 0.7 | % | 2016 |
| Country share in regional GDP | 0.1 | % | 2016 |
| Imports of goods and services (GDP at current prices) | -47.2 | % | 2015 |
| Exports of goods and services (GDP at current prices) | 38.6 | % | 2015 |
Source: Bahamas: National Economic Profile. CEPALSTAT. Databases and Statistical and
Publications. ECLAC. On line. Inquiry: September 09, 2017
Socio-demographic indicators
| Total population | 395 | 000 | 2017 |
| Life expectancy | 76 | Años | 2015-2020 |
| Women | 79 | Años | 2015-2020 |
| Men | 73 | Años | 2015-2020 |
| Public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP | 7.7 | % | 2012 |
| Literacy rate for persons between the ages of 15 to 24 | NA | % | NA |
| Net rate of enrolment in primary education | 97.5 | % | 2010 |
| Net rate of enrolment in secondary education | 82.7 | % | 2010 |
| Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP | 2.8 | % | 2000 |
| Gini Coefficient | NA | NA | NA |
| Unemployment | 12.0 | % | 2015 |
Source: Bahamas: National Socio-Demographic Profile. CEPALSTAT. Data Bases and Statistical Publications. ECLAC. On line. Inquiry: September 09, 2017. ND= No data available.
Languages: English (Tasa), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Government
Administrative divisions: 21 districts: Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor’s Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay.
Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Constitution: 10 July 1973
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling (since 8 June 2014). Head of government: Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Perry Gladstone Christie (since 8 May 2012)
Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms.
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrate courts
Internet country code: .bs
Portal Web oficial: https://www.bahamas.gov.bs/
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://mofa.gov.bs/
SELA