These parties have included the Bahamas Democratic Movement, the Coalition for Democratic Reform and the Bahamian Nationalist Party. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. Although The Bahamas is not geographically located in the Caribbean, it is a member of the Caribbean Community. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Jurisprudence is based on English common law. [edit] Demographics This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can (April 2008). Main article: Demographics of the Bahamas Blacks 85%, Whites 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% according to the last census completed about the races on the island, which was recorded in 1953. 1953 census results by island Region European  % Mixed  % African  % Total New Providence &0000000000006758.0000006,758 14.80% &0000000000006804.0000006,804 14.90% &0000000000032108.00000032,108 70.30% &0000000000045670.00000045,670 Andros and Berry Islands 97 1.30% 299 4.01% &0000000000007065.0000007,065 94.69% &0000000000007461.0000007,461 Grand Bahama and Bimini 450 8.30% 721 13.31% &0000000000004248.0000004,248 78.39% &0000000000005419.0000005,419 Abaco &0000000000001146.0000001,146 33.63% 225 6.60% &0000000000002037.0000002,037 59.77% &0000000000003408.0000003,408 Harbour Island 861 56.42% 53 3.47% 612 40.10% &0000000000001526.0000001,526 Eleuthera 662 10.93% &0000000000001062.0000001,062 17.54% &0000000000004332.0000004,332 71.53% &0000000000006056.0000006,056 Cat Island 12 0.37% 86 2.69% &0000000000003103.0000003,103 96.94% &0000000000003201.0000003,201 Exuma 59 2.02% 61 2.09% &0000000000002799.0000002,799 95.89% &0000000000002919.0000002,919 San Salvador and Rum Cay 46 5.56% 51 6.17% 730 88.27% 827 Long Island and Ragged Island 564 13.84% &0000000000002072.0000002,072 50.83% &0000000000001440.0000001,440 35.33% &0000000000004076.0000004,076 Crooked Islands, Acklins and Long Cay 7 0.32% 513 23.44% &0000000000001669.0000001,669 76.24% &0000000000002189.0000002,189 Mayaguana and Inagua 60 3.74% 95 5.93% &0000000000001448.0000001,448 90.33% &0000000000001603.0000001,603 Bahamas &0000000000010722.00000010,722 12.71% &0000000000012042.00000012,042 14.28% &0000000000061591.00000061,591 73.01% &0000000000084355.00000084,355 Source: Population: 300,529 (July 2002 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 43,964; female 43,250) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 95,508; female 98,859) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 7,948; female 11,000) (2002 est.) Population growth rate: 0.86% (2002 est.) Birth rate: 18.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) Net migration rate: -2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) Infant mortality rate: 17.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.87 years female: 73.49 years (2002 est.) male: 66.32 years Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2002 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic groups: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% 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+): total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.) Source: The Bahamas guide In the less developed outer islands, handicrafts include basketry made from palm fronds. This material, commonly called "straw", is plaited into hats and bags that are popular tourist items. Atlantic Spotted Dolphins Regattas are important social events in many family island settlements. They usually feature one or more days of sailing by old-fashioned work boats, as well as an onshore festival. Some settlements have festivals associated with the traditional crop or food of that area, such as the "Pineapple Fest" in Gregory Town, Eleuthera or the "Crab Fest" on Andros. Other significant traditions include story telling. A strongly religious country, there are more places of worship per person in the Bahamas than many other nations in the world. The islands are overwhelmingly Christian. Baptists, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are the largest denominations. A few people, especially in the southern and eastern islands, practice Obeah, a spiritistic religion similar to Voodoo. Voodoo is also practiced by a large number of people in Haiti. Sailing and Track and field athletics are popular sports in the country. Football and rugby also have strong followings while American sports such as basketball, softball, baseball and American football are gaining in popularity. Bahamians have won Olympic gold medals in sailing (Sir Durwood Knowles and Cecile Cooke in 1964) and track and field (Tonique Williams-Darling in the 400 m in 2004 and the women's relay team in the 4×100m in 2000). They are also very active in the world of karting, the current Bahamian champion is Genevieve Siddons. [edit] Economy Main article: Economy of the Bahamas Tourism plays an important part in the economy of the Bahamas. The Bahamian dollar is pegged to the US dollar, and US notes and coins are used interchangeably with Bahamian notes and coins within the islands for most practical purposes. However, government mandated exchange controls still apply for the purchase of any foreign currency. The Bahamas is classified as an upper middle-income developing country and has the third highest per capita income in the western hemisphere (after the United States and Canada). Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for about two thirds of the gross domestic product (GDP). Offshore finance is the second largest industry, accounting for about 15 per cent of GDP. The government continues to promote tourism and financial services while aiming for greater diversification through agriculture, fishing, manufacturing and e-commerce. Logo of the Bahamas In the 1960s, the country enjoyed robust growth averaging 9 per cent annually as direct foreign investment spurred the development of tourism. A global economic downturn after the 1973 oil price shock coincided with Bahamian independence and led to a drop in foreign investment. Toward the end of the decade economic performance improved, led by growth in tourism; and international narcotics trafficking. Real GDP growth in the 1980-84 period averaged 3 per cent, but declined in the late 1980s. GDP growth was 0.3 per cent in 1995 and accelerated to 6 per cent in 1999. After 9/11 the economy nosedived and began picking up again in 2003. Historically, most development has occurred on New Providence and Grand Bahama, causing significant migration from the Family Islands to these two urban centres and straining their infrastructure. The government is also faced with the burden of duplicating facilities and services throughout the archipelago. [edit] See also List of islands of the Bahamas List of wettest known tropical cyclones in the Bahamas Bermuda Triangle List of Bahamas-related topics Bahamians Bahamian English States headed by Elizabeth II Bahamian Creole Movies Filmed in the Bahamas Bahamian-Americans Celebrity residents of the Bahamas Lyford Cay Compass Point Studios Communications in the Bahamas Conception Island Tongue of the Ocean Foreign relations of the Bahamas Military of the Bahamas Transport in the Bahamas Postage stamps and postal history of the Bahamas The Scout Association of the Bahamas Rum Cay Wrecking in the Bahamas [edit] References This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations. ^ Population estimates for the Bahamas take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. ^ United Nations, 2007. ^ Location and General Description Bahamian dry forests, The Encyclopedia of Earth [edit] Further reading [edit] General history Cash Philip et al. (Don Maples, Alison Packer). The Making of the Bahamas: A History for Schools. London: Collins, 1978. Albury, Paul. The Story of The Bahamas. London: MacMillan Caribbean, 1975. Miller, Hubert W. The Colonization of the Bahamas, 1647–1670, The William and Mary Quarterly 2 no.1 (Jan 1945): 33–46. Craton, Michael. A History of the Bahamas. London: Collins, 1962. Craton, Michael and Saunders, Gail. Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1992 McCartney, Donald M., "Bahamian Culture And Factors Which Impact Upon It". Pittsburgh, PA: Dorrance Publishing,:) 2004 [edit] Economic history Johnson, Howard. The Bahamas in Slavery and Freedom. Kingston: Ian Randle Publishing, 1991. Johnson, Howard. The Bahamas from Slavery to Servitude, 1783–1933. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 1996. Storr, Virgil H. Enterprising Slaves and Master Pirates: Understanding Economic Life in the Bahamaz. New York: Peter Lang, 2004. [edit] Social history Johnson, Wittington B. Race Relations in the Bahamas, 1784–1834: The Nonviolent Transformation from a Slave to a Free Society. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, 2000. Shirley, Paul. "Tek Force Wid Force", History Today 54, no. 41 (April 2004): 30–35. Saunders, Gail. The Social Life in the Bahamas 1880s–1920s. Nassau: Media Publishing, 1996. Saunders, Gail. Bahamas Society After Emancipation. Kingston: Ian Randle Publishing, 1990. Curry, Jimmy. Filthy Rich Gangster/First Bahamian Movie. Movie Mogul Pictures: 1996. [edit] External links Find more about The Bahamas on Wikipedia's sister projects: Dictionary definitions Textbooks Quotations Source texts Images and media News stories Learning resources Official website for Bahamas government Official website for Bahamas Tourist Office Bahamas travel guide from Wikitravel Bahamas Financial Services Board The Association of International Banks & Trust Companies in The Bahamas The Bahamas Constitution Bahamas Map Bahamas entry at The World Factbook   Geographic locale v • d • e Countries and territories of the Caribbean Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Grenada · Jamaica · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica · Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba · Dominican Republic · Haiti Dependencies and other territories United Kingdom Anguilla · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Montserrat · Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba · 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