Short facts about the government of Bahamas
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The
Bahamas |
| Government
type: |
constitutional parliamentary
democracy |
| 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: |
Independence 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 (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 monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch; 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 five-year terms) 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; Court of Appeal;
magistrates courts |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert
Alexander INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry
CHRISTIE] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador
Joshua SEARS
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-designate J. Richard BLANKENSHIP
embassy: Queen
Street, Nassau
mailing address: local or express mail address: P.
O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box
599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-3370
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181,
328-2206
FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal horizontal bands of
aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based
on the hoist side | Source: World Factbook |
