ale: 76.97 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bahamian(s)
adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic divisions: black 85%, white 15%

Religions: Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist
6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other
2%

Languages: English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write but definition of
literary not available (1963 est.)
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 89%

Labor force: 136,900 (1993)
by occupation: government 30%, hotels and restaurants 25%, business
services 10%, agriculture 5% (1989)

@The Bahamas:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Digraph: BF

Type: commonwealth

Capital: Nassau

Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands,
Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour,
Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and
Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador
and Rum Cay

Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution: 10 July 1973

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford DARLING (since 2 January
1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 19 August
1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor on the prime minister's
recommendation

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: a 16-member body appointed by the governor general
House of Assembly: elections last held 19 August 1992 (next to be held
by August 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (49
total) FNM 32, PLP 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

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

Member of: ACP, C, CARICOM, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomati