Bahamas     [73]
(Independent in 1973 from United Kingdom)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: BS
LAND AREA: 13934 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	700	700

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 284000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 20 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 2%/year
  POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 5%
  URBAN POP: 86% (1994), versus 74% (1960), Annual Growth: 1.9%
  LIFE EXPECTANCY: 72.9 years,  ADULT LITERACY: 98.1%
  INFANT MORTALITY: 13 per/1000 (1994), versus 50 (1960)
  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.894

ECONOMY
  GNP: US$3.2 billion, Annual GNP Growth Rate 1980-1993: 2.3%,  Annual Growth Rate GNP/Capita: 1.4%
  GDP/Capita: $10290  GDP/Capita PPP: $15875
  GDP/Capita: 1960 $6770, 1970 $9624, 1980 $10265, 1990 $11240
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $4 million  ODA%GNP: 0.1%
  ODA/Capita: $15

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 158,000 ha, 15.8% of land area, 0.6 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 158,000 ha
  ARABLE LAND: 0.6% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

Hutia (endemic mammal).                                                 
                                                                        

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 3621 kw-hr/capita, versus 2860 kw-hr/cap (1970)

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY:

The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission.             
The Bahamas National Trust (corporate body established by law).         
                                                                        

Bahamas National Trust Act, 1959, Ch. 355 of Statute Laws.