Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Data code BF

Government type commonwealth

National capital Nassau

Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday National Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution 10 July 1973

Legal system based on English common law

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general appointed by the queen; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for a five-year term) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 5

Judicial branch Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]; Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM]

International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlington Griffith BUTLER
chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
mailing address: American Embassy, NAS/STATE 10-1006, P.O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206
FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
embassy: Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: Local or Express Mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; American Embassy, Nassau; Stateside address: American Embassy, P.O. Box 9009, Miami, FL 33159; Pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 (pouch)
telephone: [1] (809) 322-1181, 328-2206
FAX: [1] (809) 356-0222

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

NOTE: The information regarding The Bahamas on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of The Bahamas Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about The Bahamas Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.