Bahamas
General Information for Bahamas
Geo-political:
Capital City: Nassau. 25° 05.00′ N, 077° 21.00′ W
Nationality: (noun) Bahamian(s), (adjective) Bahamian.
Population: 337,721 (July 2020).
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 1-242.
Number of Internal Airports: 54 (2020).
Major Languages Spoken: English (official) and Creole (among Haitian immigrants).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Bahamian Dollar (BSD) of 100 Cents.
Exchange Rates:
(as of November 2020)
USD 1.00 = BSD 1.00
BSD 1.00 = USD 1.00
Exchange rates under licence from
XE.com
Main Industries: Tourism, banking, oil bunkering, maritime industries, transshipment, logistics, salt,
aragonite and pharmaceuticals.
Agricultural Products: Citrus, vegetables, poultry and seafood.
Imports: Machinery, transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels, food and live
animals.
Exports: Rock lobster, aragonite, crude salt and polystyrene products.
Commodities: Products: Imports 19,150 bbl/d. LNG: Imports 48,020 cu.m..
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Exclusive Economic Zone: Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 3,542 km.
Climate: Tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream.
Natural Resources: Salt, aragonite, timber and arable land.
Natural Hazards: Hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage.
Terrain: Long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 25° C | 18° C |
| June | 28° C | 22° C |
| September | 30° C | 24° C |
DOCUMENTS:
Cruise Ships:
The following documents are required by Customs on arrival:
1 BSD10 Postage stamp
1 Form C2 – Inward Report of Vessels
1 Form C4 – Passenger List
1 Form C5 – Declaration of Consumable Stores
1 Form C6 – Declaration of Dutiable Goods in Possession of the Crew
1 Last Port Clearance
1 Maritime Declaration of Health
Cargo Vessels:
Under Customs regulations, cargo vessels must provide a Report on Inwards of Vessel
(Form C2) in order to enter The Bahamas. This is required by all vessels entering
The Bahamas from a foreign port.
The following documents are required:
1 Cargo Manifest
1 Crew List (name and nationality required)
1 Form C2 – Report on Inwards of Vessel
1 Form C3 – Parcels List
1 Form C5 – Declaration of Consumable Stores
1 Form C6 – Declaration of Dutiable Goods in Possession of the Crew
1 Last Port Clearance
1 Maritime Declaration of Health
1 Passenger List (name and nationality required)
1 Proof of Citizenship/Identification (Passport) for the captain and other crew and
passengers)
Arrival formalities must be completed within 24 hours after arrival into Bahamian
waters. No crew or passengers may disembark until this process is completed.
POLLUTION:
Pollution incidents should be reported to the Port Controller, Nassau Port Authority.
T: +1 242 326 5677. or T: +1 242 323 3191. after hours. F: +1 242 322 5545.
MEDICAL:
Medical treatment is of a good standard but can be expensive. Emergency medical facilities
are limited on all the Family Islands and serious cases are transferred to Nassau,
Freeport or Miami by air ambulance. Make sure you have adequate health insurance and
accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
There is a risk of Zika virus transmission in the Bahamas. Dengue fever is endemic
to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. Cases of Chikungunya
virus have been confirmed in the Bahamas. You should take steps to avoid being bitten
by mosquitoes.
In an emergency dial 911 and ask for an ambulance.
Ciguatera:
The waters around The Bahamas are home to certain species of fish which, when eaten,
can cause severe poisoning. The following should be made known to vessel’s crew members
to avoid any possible severe illness, as has been the case with several visiting ships
to the area.
A type of poisoning, which can be fatal, produced by eating a large variety of tropical
marine fish. The name ciguatera (Spanish) was applied by early settlers in the Caribbean.
It is not caused by ``spoiled'' fish, but may exist in perfectly fresh and otherwise
edible species. The extract origin of ciguateras has not been established. The enigmatic
features of this toxicity is that it can occur in a species which was previously known
to be edible in a specific locality or in a species which is commonly eaten in other
regions with no history of ciguatera intoxications. In all, more than three hundred
species of fish have been known to cause ciguatera, primarily in the West Indies and
the Central and South Pacific. For many years it has been believed that tropical species
became poisonous because of their feeding habits. The toxic substance was thought
to originate in marine plants. However, recent researchers indicate that the theory
may be more complex than originally believed. There is no way of determining the toxicity
of a fish by its appearance. However, the most common ciguatera-producing fish around
North American shores are the Great Barracuda, the Yellow Fin Grouper and the Amberjack.
Under most circumstances the viscera of marine fish should not be used as food.
Symptoms:
A tingling sensation on the lips, tongue and throat may occur at any time within 24
hours of ingesting the fish. It most often occurs within 2–3 hours. There is usually
a feeling of numbness accompanied by nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The muscles of the mouth may become drawn and spastic. There is a feeling of weakness
which becomes progressively worse, accompanied by muscular pains in the arms and legs.
Vision may also be affected through blurring, temporary blindness, or extreme sensitivity
to light. Skin eruptions consisting of a red popular rash, blisters or simply intense
itching are common. In severe cases the victim has difficulty walking and may lose
muscular co-ordination or suffer paralysis. The mortality rate among ciguatera victims
is low (less than 10 per cent); however, recovery is very slow in severe cases and
may require many months.
Treatment:
Seek qualified medical assistance.
Ciguatera poisoning cannot be cured. The disease is managed and supported instead
with the aim of helping someone to recover rather than an outright cure. Most people
recover but it takes a long time to do so. Some people suffer a relapse, often following
contact with certain allergens which may cause long term damage.
Medication such as calcium channel blockers, e.g. Verapamil may help to treat some
of the symptoms which occur after the initial digestive stage. Vitamin supplements
and steroids can support recovery rather than reducing the effect of the toxin.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January (New Year's Day); Good Friday; Easter Monday; Whit Monday; Labour Day; 10
July (Independence Day); 6 August (Emancipation Day); 12 October (Discovery Day/National
Heroes Day); 24 December (Christmas Eve); 25 December (Christmas Day); 26 December
(Boxing Day).
WEATHER/TIDES:
The hurricane season in The Bahamas normally runs from 1 June to 30 November.
BANKS:
The Bahamas police have notified the public that counterfeit higher denomination notes
are in circulation. You should check for a ship watermark and metallic strip on genuine
notes and not purchase any currency except at established exchange centres.
CUSTOMS:
The Bahamas Customs Department, Headquarters, PO Box N155, Thompson Boulevard, Nassau,
New Providence, The Bahamas. T: +1 (242) 325 6551. F: +1 (242) 325 7409.
[email protected]
SHORE LEAVE:
The water sports industry in The Bahamas is poorly regulated. Every year people are
killed or seriously injured by the improper use of jet skis or other watercraft, or
by the careless or reckless operation of such equipment by others. In view of a number
of accidents, it is recommended not to rent jet-skis or other water sports equipment
unless you are an experienced user.
If you choose to rent any type of water sports equipment, you should first consider
the dangers involved and satisfy yourself that adequate safety precautions are in
place. Once satisfied about this, rent only from reputable operators and insist on
sufficient training before use. Also ensure that the operator is licensed and has
adequate insurance cover.
REPATRIATION:
All visitors leaving The Bahamas are subject to a cash departure tax of USD15.00 (or
BSD15.00), which may or may not be included in the price of the ticket.
