on, including capital expenditures of $100 million (1992
est.)
Exports:
$310 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
pharmaceuticals, 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