Bahamas People and Population Statistics
Population estimate for The Bahamas for 2007 was 305,655 and almost 60% of the population lives on New Providence, which includes the capital city of Nassau.
Bahamians are mainly of African descent – 85 percent black and 15 percent white and mixed. The white population are descended mainly from the early English settlers who arrived on the Island of Eleuthera in 1648. Many can also trace their roots back to the American Loyalists who after 1783 fled the newly independent States with their slaves.
Population: | 305,655 (July 2007 est.) |
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 27% (male 41,268/female 41,186) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 99,961/female 103,230) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 8,176/female 11,834) (2007 est.) |
Population growth rate: | 0.602% (2007 est.) |
Birth rate: | 17.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Death rate: | 9.13 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Net migration rate: | -2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.968 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.691 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Infant mortality rate: | total: 24.17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 65.66 years male: 62.37 years female: 69.02 years (2007 est.) |
Total fertility rate: | 2.15 children born/woman (2007 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, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) |
Literacy (age 15+): | total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.) |
Bahamians are a independent and hospitable people. They love to celebrate and will take advantage of any opportunity to do so. Even though funerals are solemn occasions, they often end with a planned gathering of family and friends with lots of food and drinks. A “wake”, which is the celebration of the life of the deceased, is usually held before the funeral and goes into the wee hours of the morning as the people sing, eat and drink all through the night.
Total Population by Sex and by Island and Number of Households (200?)
Island | Total Population | Males | Females | Number of Households |
ALL BAHAMAS | 303,611 | 147,778 | 155,833 | 87,714 |
NEW PROVIDENCE | 210,832 | 101,610 | 109,222 | 59,707 |
GRAND BAHAMA | 46,994 | 23,035 | 23,959 | 13,977 |
ABACO | 13,170 | 6,711 | 6,459 | 3,929 |
ACKLINS | 428 | 227 | 201 | 134 |
ANDROS | 7,686 | 3,780 | 3,906 | 2,145 |
BERRY ISLANDS | 709 | 416 | 293 | 265 |
BIMINIS | 1,717 | 886 | 831 | 552 |
CAT ISLAND | 1,647 | 854 | 793 | 559 |
CROOKED ISLAND | 350 | 172 | 178 | 132 |
ELEUTHERA | 7,999 | 3,933 | 4,066 | 2,408 |
EXUMA AND CAYS | 3,571 | 1,875 | 1,696 | 1,133 |
HARBOUR ISLAND | 1,639 | 799 | 840 | 493 |
INAGUA | 969 | 476 | 493 | 302 |
LONG ISLAND | 2,992 | 1,533 | 1,459 | 961 |
MAYAGUANA | 259 | 129 | 130 | 96 |
RAGGED ISLAND | 72 | 44 | 28 | 26 |
SAN SALVADOR | 970 | 497 | 473 | 279 |
RUM CAY | 80 | 45 | 35 | 30 |
SPANISH WELLS | 1,527 | 756 | 771 | 586 |
Source: Bahamas Government Census