(1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Bahamian(s); adjective--Bahamian

_#_Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15%

_#_Religion: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%,
Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown
3%, other 2% (1980)

_#_Language: English; some Creole among Haitian immigrants

_#_Literacy: 90% (male 90%, female 89%) age 15 and over but
definition of literacy not available (1963 est.)

_#_Labor force: 132,600; government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%,
business services 10%, agriculture 5% (1986)

_#_Organized labor: 25% of labor force

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: The Commonwealth of The Bahamas

_#_Type: commonwealth

_#_Capital: Nassau

_#_Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Abaco, Acklins Island,
Andros Island, Berry Islands, Biminis, Cat Island, Cay Lobos, Crooked
Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, Inagua, Long Cay,
Long Island, Mayaguana, New Providence, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San
Salvador, Spanish Wells

_#_Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

_#_Constitution: 10 July 1973

_#_Legal system: based on English common law

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

_#_Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime
minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house
or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Acting Governor General Sir Henry TAYLOR (since 26 June
1988);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Sir Lynden Oscar PINDLING (since
16 January 1967)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Sir Lynden O. PINDLING;
Free National Movement (FNM), Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

House of Assembly--last held 19 June 1987 (next to be held
by June 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(49 total) PLP 32, FNM 17

_#_Communists: none known

_#_Other political or pressure groups: Vanguard Nationalist and
Socialist Party (VNSP), a small leftist party headed by Lionel CAREY;
Trade Union Congress (TUC), headed by Arlington MILLER

_#_Member of: