since 2006. Financial
services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian
economy and, when combined with business services, account for about
36% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government
enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international
businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture
combined contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little
growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.
Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the
fortunes of the tourism sector. Tourism, in turn, depends on growth
in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors.

Bahrain
With its highly developed communication and transport
facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with
business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for
over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government
revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries),
underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years.
Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major
segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction
sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on
an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center.
Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization
of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of
this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free
Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf
state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to
acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its
expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment,
especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground
water resources are long-term economic problems.

Bangladesh
The economy has grown 5-6% over the past few years
despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting
natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow
implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor,
overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than
half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly
two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector,
with rice as the single-most-important product. Garmen