Country name:conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas
Government type:constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Nassau
Geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W
Administrative divisions:21districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma,Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, HarbourIsland, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour,Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, RaggedIsland, 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:chiefof state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented byGovernor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections:the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch;following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party orthe leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed primeminister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends thedeputy prime ministerLegislative branch:bicameralParliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by thegovernor general upon the advice of the prime minister and theopposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly(41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-yearterms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call electionsat any time elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18
Judicial branch:Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; Magistrates' Courts
Political parties and leaders:Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
International organization participation:ACP,C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO,ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Cornelius A. SMITH chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau mailingaddress: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; USDepartment of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 356-3229 (after hours) FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
Flag description:threeequal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, witha black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
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