Viewow’s Traveler Notes in Bahamas
International Dialling Code   +1-242
Internet Country Code   .bs
Time zone   GMT -5
Monetary Unit   Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Weights and Measures   The metric system is in use
Electric Power   120 V / 60 Hz
Electric Plugs   A & B

Flat blade attachment plug

Flat blades with round grounding pin

Coordinates   24 15 N, 76 00 W

Total Area   13,940 sq km  

Land Area   10,070 sq km
Water Area   3,870 sq km
Land Boundaries   0 km  
Costline Lenghts   3,542 km
Highets Point   Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
Lowest Point   Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Terrain   flat coral formations with some low rounded hills, long
Climate   tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream;

there are occasional hurricane

Average Tempretures in Summer   27°C (81°F) 

Average Tempretures in Winter   23°C (73°F) 

Annual Rainfall Average   127 cm (50 in) 

View of People in Bahamas
National Name   The Bahamas
Nationality   Bahamian
Ethnicity   black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Languages   English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Religious   Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
Independance Day   10 July 1973 (from UK)

View of Demographics in Bahamas
Population Density   30.5% per sq km (July 2008 est.)
Population Growth   0.57% (2008 est.)

Urban Population Rate   84.9% (2000)
Infant Mortality Rate   23.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Total Fertility Rates   2.13 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Life Expectancy   65.72 years
Birth Rate   17.06 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death Rate   9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex Ratio   1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Literacy Rate   95.6% (2003 census)
Literacy Rate (female)   96.5% (2003 census)
Suffrage   18 years of age

View of Economy in Bahamas

GDP (ppp)   $8.332 billion (2007 est.)
Budget   revenues:$1.03 billion , expenditures:$1.03 billion
Exports   $674 million (2006)
Imports   $2.401 billion (2006)
Unemployment Rate   7.6% (2006 est.)
Labor Force   181,900 (2006)
Inflation Rate   2.4% (2007 est.)
Arable Land   0.58% (2005)

Trading partners   U.S., Poland, Spain, Germany, France, South Korea, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Venezuela (2004)
Industries   aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe, tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum
Agriculture   citrus, vegetables; poultry
Natural Resources   arable land, salt, aragonite, timber

View of Some Facts in Bahamas
Main Lines Phones   133,100 (2005) 
Mobile Phones   374,000 (2007)
Internet Hosts   248 (2007)
Internet users   103,000 (2005)
Airports  62 (2007)
Gsm   GSM 900 / GSM 1800
Gsm Operator   BaTelCo
Highways   2,693 km (2006)
Merchant Marine   1,225 ships (1000 GRT or over) (2008)
Ports and Terminals   Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Business Week in Bahamas

--- Offices

Monday - Friday   8:30a.m or 9a.m. to 5p.m. or 5:30p.m.

Saturday - Sunday   closed

--- Retails

Monday - Saturday   9a.m. to 5p.m.

--- Banks

Monday - Thursday   9:30a.m. to 3p.m.

Friday   9:30a.m. to 5p.m.

--- Government

Monday - Friday   9a.m. to 5:30p.m.

Official Holidays of Bahamas

New Year's Day   January 1

Labor Day   June 6

Independence Day   June 10

Discovery Day (Columbus Day)   October 12

Christmas Day   December 25

Easter

Easter Monday

Whit Monday

Emancipation Day (Kadoomant Day)