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Country Commercial Guides for FY 2000:
The Bahamas

Report prepared by U.S. Embassy
Nassau, released July 1999
Note*

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X. ECONOMIC AND TRADE STATISTICS

Appendix A: Country Data:

Population: 293,261 (1998).
Population Growth Rate: 1.7 percent.
Religions: Baptist 35 percent, Roman Catholic 20 percent, Anglican 15 percent, Evangelical Protestants 15 percent, Methodist 5 percent, Church of God 5 percent, others 5 percent.
Government System: Multi-party Parliamentary democracy.
Languages: English.
Workweek: Monday through Friday. Shops are generally open all day Saturday; Sunday closing laws are strictly observed, although grocers are permitted to open for a few hours on Sunday. Tourist shops on Bay Street are open on Sundays when there are cruise ships in port.

Appendix B: Domestic Economy:

(In millions of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. NB: B$1 equals US$1. Numbers are the most recent available. Figures are Central Bank estimates unless otherwise noted.)

1997 1998 1999
GDP (Current Value)
(Ministry of Finance est.)		 37504250N/A
Per Capita GDP (InterAmerican Development
Bank est)		 N/A 14,492N/A
GDP Growth Rate (%)
(Ministry of Finance est.)		 3.0N/AN/A
Government Spending
As % of GDP		 21 N/AN/A
Inflation(%) 0.5 1.3N/A
Unemployment(%) 9.8 7.9 7.8
Foreign Exchange Reserves219.4338.7438.0
Average Exchange Rate
For US$ 1.00		 1 1 1
Debt Service Ratio 2.53.9N/A
US Military/Economic
Assistance		 N/AN/A N/A

Appendix C: Trade:

(In millions of U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. Total figures are Central Bank estimates. U.S. figures are U.S. Department of Commerce estimates.)

1997 1998 1999
Total Country Exports230.4 311.4 N/A
Total country imports 1276.51371.4 N/A
U.S. exports789.6 774.5 499.5*
U.S. imports 166.0 143.0 77.5*

*U.S. Statistics January to August 1999

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Note* International Copyright, United States Government, 1998 (or other year of first publication). All rights under foreign copyright laws are reserved. All portions of this publication are protected against any type or form of reproduction, communications to the public and the preparation of adaptations, arrangement and alterations outside the United States. U. S. copyright is not asserted under the U.S. Copyright Law, Title17, United States Code.

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