The Bahamas Government 1997

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, SanSalvador 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 byGovernor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) andDeputy 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 appointedby the queen; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governorgeneral

Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointedby the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the oppositionleader for a five-year term) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; memberselected 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 34, PLP 6

Judicial branch Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]; Free National Movementor 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 (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlington Griffith BUTLER
chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone : [1] (202) 319-2660
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
consulate(s) general : Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sidney WILLIAMS
embassy: Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; American Embassy, Nassau, P.O. Box 9009, Miami,FL 33159; Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 (pouch)
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206
FAX: [1] (242) 328-7838

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

NOTE: The information regarding The Bahamas on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of The Bahamas Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about The Bahamas Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.