domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1–242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
215,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)
Televisions:
67,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bs
Internet hosts:
302 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)
Internet users:
84,000 (2003)
Transportation Bahamas, The
Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Merchant marine:
total: 1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252 GRT/43,025,977 DWT
by type: bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4,
passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated
cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada
4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49,
Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland
1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1,
Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New
Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion
1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6,
Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
Airports:
63 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military Bahamas, The
Military branches:
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Transnational Issues Bahamas, The
Disputes - international:
concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and
political conditions
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and
Europe; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Bahrain
Introduction Bahrain
Background:
Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
legislature, the National Assembly.
Geography Bahrain
Location:
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km
Area - comparative:
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
Natural resources:
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001)
Irrigated land:
50 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; dust storms
Environment - current issues:
desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable
land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation