Demographics of the Bahamas

Eighty-five percent of the Bahamian population is of African heritage. About two-thirds of the population lives on New Providence Island (the location of Nassau). And about half of the remaining one-third lives on Grand Bahama (the location of Freeport).

The islands were sparsely settled and a haven for pirates until the late 1700s when thousands of British loyalists and their slaves were given compensatory land grants following the American Revolution. At the turn of the 20th century the total population was only 53,000.

School attendance is compulsory between the ages of five and 16. There are 158 public schools and private 52 schools in The Bahamas catering to more than 66,000 students. The College of The Bahamas, established in Nassau in 1974, provides programmes leading to bachelors and associate degrees. The college is now converting from a 2-year to a 4-year institution.

Demographic data from the CIA World Factbook

Population

301,790

note: Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)

65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)

Median age

Total: 27.55 years

Male: 26.78 years

Female: 28.34 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate

0.67% (2005 est.)

Birth rate

17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate

-2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 65.54 years

Male: 62.11 years

Female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS

Adult prevalence rate: 3% (2003 est.)

People living with HIV/AIDS: 5,600 (2003 est.)

Deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Bahamian(s)

Adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups

Black 85%, White 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions

Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Total population: 95.6%

Male: 94.7%

Female: 96.5% (2003 est.)