The Bahamas

chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba; note - although The Bahamas does not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically it is often designated as a Caribbean nation

24 15 N, 76 00 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than Connecticut

3,542 km

tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

10 sq km (2012)

most of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located

hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage

strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited

African descent 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

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%, Plymouth Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.)

1.08% (2025 est.)

13.1 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

most of the population lives in urban areas, with two thirds living on New Providence Island where Nassau is located

280,000 NASSAU (capital) (2018)

76 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.71 (2025 est.)

1.9 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

31.6% (2016)

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

31 districts; Acklins Islands, Berry Islands, Bimini, Black Point, Cat Island, Central Abaco, Central Andros, Central Eleuthera, City of Freeport, Crooked Island and Long Cay, East Grand Bahama, Exuma, Grand Cay, Harbour Island, Hope Town, Inagua, Long Island, Mangrove Cay, Mayaguana, Moore's Island, North Abaco, North Andros, North Eleuthera, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, South Abaco, South Andros, South Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, West Grand Bahama

common-law system based on the English model

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

10 July 1973 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

blue marlin, flamingo, yellow elderflower

aquamarine, yellow, black

high-income tourism and financial services economy; major income inequality; strong US bilateral relations; several tax relief programs; targeted investment in agriculture, energy, light manufacturing, and technology industries

$15.833 billion (2024 est.)

sugarcane, grapefruits, vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, chicken, tropical fruits, oranges, coconuts, mangoes/guavas (2023)

tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment and logistics, salt, aragonite, pharmaceuticals

12.5% (2024 est.)

237,100 (2024 est.)

16.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

USA 36%, Zimbabwe 16%, Cote d'Ivoire 14%, Germany 8%, Guyana 8% (2023)

refined petroleum, ships, aluminum, shellfish, plastics (2023)

USA 60%, Germany 13%, China 5%, Japan 3%, Brazil 2% (2023)

refined petroleum, ships, aircraft, cars, crude petroleum (2023)

4 major TV providers; 1 TV station is operated by government-owned, commercially run Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) and competes with 4 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is widely available; 32 licensed broadcast (radio) service providers, with 31 privately owned FM radio stations; the BCB operates a multi-channel radio network with national coverage; the sector is regulated by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (2019)

.bs

C6

54 (2025)

9 (2025)

Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF): includes land, air, maritime elements; Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) (2025)

approximately 1,500-1,800 active RBDF (2025)

most of the RBDF's major equipment inventory has been acquired from the Netherlands or the US (2025)

18-30 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (18-60 for Reserves); no conscription (2025)

the RBDF was established in 1980; its primary responsibilities are maritime security and safeguarding the territorial integrity of the Bahamas, providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, and supporting internal law and order in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies; the RBDF is a naval force with a few light aircraft, coastal patrol craft, and patrol boats, as well as a lightly-armed marine infantry/commando squadron for base and internal security; the RBDF has training relationships with the UK and the US (2025)