c representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy Baswell DONALDSON
chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
embassy: Mosmar Building, Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau
telephone: [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206
FAX: [1] (809) 328-7838

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

@The Bahamas:Economy

Overview: The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation whose economy is
based primarily on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone
provides about 50% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs about
50,000 people or 40% of the local work force. The economy has
slackened in recent years, as the annual increase in the number of
tourists slowed. Nonetheless, per capita GDP is one of the highest in
the region.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1994
est.)

National product real growth rate: 3.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $15,900 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1993)

Budget:
revenues: $696 million
expenditures: $756 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95)

Exports: $257 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum
products
partners: US 51%, UK 7%, Norway 7%, France 6%, Italy 5%

Imports: $1.15 billion (f.o.b,,1993 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles,
electronics
partners: US 55%, Japan 17%, Nigeria 12%, Denmark 7%, Norway 6%

External debt: $455 million (December 1993)

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

Electricity:
capacity: 424,000 kW
production: 929 million kWh
consumption per capita: 3,200 kWh (1993)

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; al