Bahamas, The
Background
Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US
Location
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Geographic co-ordinates
24 15 N, 76 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
Total: 13,940 sq km ; land: 10,070 sq km ; water: 3,870 sq km
Area comparative
Slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
Tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Terrain
Long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Natural resources
Salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Natural hazards
Hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Nationality
Noun: Bahamian(s) ; adjective: Bahamian
Languages
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas ; conventional short form: The Bahamas
Capital
Name: Nassau ; geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W ; time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
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, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
National holiday
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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Industries
Tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Currency code
Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Internet code
.bs
Ports and Terminals
Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point
Bahrain
Background
In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. 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. King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years, however, with opposition parties taking part in elections, street demonstrations, and low-level violence. Wifaq, the largest Shia opposition movement, in late 2006 won a plurality of seats in the elected half of the legislature.
Location
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic co-ordinates
26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
Total: 665 sq km ; land: 665 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
Area comparative
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
Arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain
Mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources
Oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Natural hazards
Periodic droughts; dust storms
Nationality
Noun: Bahraini(s) ; adjective: Bahraini
Languages
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain ; conventional short form: Bahrain ; local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn ; local short form: Al Bahrayn ; former: Dilmun
Capital
Name: Manama ; geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E ; time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat ; note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
National holiday
National Day, 16 December (1971)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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I
ndustries
Petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism
Currency code
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Internet code
.bh
Ports and Terminals
Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Bangladesh
Background
Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Geographic co-ordinates
24 00 N, 90 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
Total: 144,000 sq km ; land: 133,910 sq km ; water: 10,090 sq km
Area comparative
Slightly smaller than Iowa
Climate
Tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain
Mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Natural resources
Natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Natural hazards
Droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Nationality
Noun: Bangladeshi(s) ; adjective: Bangladeshi
Languages
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Country name
Conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh ; conventional short form: Bangladesh ; local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh ; local short form: Banladesh ; former: East Bengal, East Pakistan
Capital
Name: Dhaka ; geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 E ; time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet
National holiday
16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
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Industries
Cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Currency code
Taka (BDT)
Internet code
.bd
Ports and Terminals
Chittagong, Mongla Port
Barbados
Background
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Location
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic co-ordinates
13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
Total: 431 sq km ; land: 431 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
Area comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
Tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain
Relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources
Petroleum, fish, natural gas
Natural hazards
Pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Nationality
Noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) ; adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Country name
Conventional long form: none ; conventional short form: Barbados
Capital
Name: Bridgetown ; geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W ; time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
National holiday
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Currency code
Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Internet code
.bb
Ports and Terminals
Bridgetown