The 1994 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

cement, rum, crawfish

       partners:

       US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%

       Imports:

       $1.2 billion (f.o.b,,1992)

       commodities:

       foodstuffs, manufactured goods, mineral fuels, crude oil

       partners:

       US 32%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%

       External debt:

       $1.2 billion (December 1990)

       Industrial production:

       growth rate 3% (1990); accounts for 15% of GDP

       Electricity:

       capacity:

       424,000 kW

       production:

       929 million kWh

       consumption per capita:

       3,599 kWh (1992)

       Industries:

       tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt

       production, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral welded steel pipe

       Agriculture:

       accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by small-scale producers; principal

       products - citrus fruit, vegetables, poultry; large net importer of

       food

       Illicit drugs:

       transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe;

       also money-laundering center

       Economic aid:

       recipient:

       US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85–89), $1 million; Western

       (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970–89), $345

       million

       Currency:

       1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

       Exchange rates:

       Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate)

       Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      @The Bahamas, Communications

      Highways:

       total:

       2,400 km

       paved:

       1,350 km

       unpaved:

       gravel 1,050 km

       Ports:

       Freeport, Nassau

       Merchant marine:

       879 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,424,439 GRT/33,330,160 DWT,

       bulk 167, cargo 148, chemical tanker 43, combination bulk 8,

       combination ore/oil 20, container 48, liquefied gas 18, oil tanker

       177, passenger 54, refrigerated cargo 132, roll-on/roll-off cargo 41,

       short-sea passenger 16, vehicle carrier 7

       note:

       a flag of convenience registry

       Airports:

       total:

       60

       usable:

       55

       with permanent-surface runways:

       31

       with runways over 3,659 m:

       0

       with runways 2,440–3,659 m:

       3

       with runways 1,220–2,439 m:

       26

       Telecommunications:

       highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system;

       tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast

       stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic

       Ocean INTELSAT earth station

      @The Bahamas, Defense Forces

      Branches:

       Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police

       Force

       Defense expenditures:

       exchange rate conversion - $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

      @Bahrain, Geography

      Location:

       Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and

       Qatar

       Map references:

       Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

       Area:

       total area:

       620 sq km

       land area:

       620 sq km

       comparative area:

       slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

       Land boundaries:

       0 km

       Coastline:

       161 km

       Maritime claims:

       contiguous zone:

       24 nm

       continental shelf:

       not specified

       territorial sea:

       12 nm

       International disputes:

       territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime

       boundary with Qatar

       Climate:

       arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

       Terrain:

       mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

       Natural resources:

       oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish

       Land use:

       arable land:

       2%

       permanent crops:

       2%

       meadows and pastures:

       6%

       forest and woodland:

       0%

       other:

       90%

       Irrigated land:

       10 sq km (1989 est.)

       Environment:

       current issues:

       desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land,

       periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to

       coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills

       and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and

       distribution stations; no surface water resources; groundwater and sea

       water are the only sources for all water needs

       natural hazards:

       periods of drought, dust storms

       international agreements:

       party to - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection;

       signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

       Note:

       close to primary