Demographics of the Bahamas


This is a demography of the population of the Bahamas including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Ninety percent of the Bahamian population identifies as being primarily of African ancestry. About two-thirds of the population lives on New Providence Island, and about half of the remaining one-third lives on Grand Bahama.
The islands were sparsely settled and a haven for pirates until the late 18th century, when thousands of British Loyalists were given compensatory land grants following the American Revolution. Many new settlers were from the Southern United States and brought slaves with them to cultivate plantations. At the turn of the 20th century, the total population was 53,000.
School attendance is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16. There are 158 public schools and 52 private 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 associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees; the college is now converting from a two-year to a four-year institution.

Structure of the population

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total179 850188 540368 390100
0-416 67015 66032 3308.78
5-916 40015 09031 4908.55
10-1414 99014 73029 7208.07
15-1915 17015 32030 4908.28
20-2414 78015 25030 0308.15
25-2913 09013 78026 8707.29
30-3412 78013 00025 7807.00
35-3913 10013 72026 8207.28
40-4413 48014 48027 9607.59
45-4912 89013 86026 7507.26
50-5411 76012 57024 3306.60
55-598 6709 57018 2404.95
60-646 0306 83012 8603.49
65-694 2605 0809 3402.54
70-743 0303 8606 8901.87
75-791 8002 4804 2801.16
80-845861 7472 3330.63
85-892438731 1160.30
90+1216407610.21
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0-1448 06045 48093 54025.39
15-64121 750128 380250 13067.90
65+10 04014 68024 7206.71

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total186 480198 860385 340100
0–414 91014 15029 0607.54
5–914 29014 07028 3607.36
10–1415 80016 10031 9008.28
15–1915 86016 23032 0908.33
20–2415 76015 89031 6508.21
25–2915 04014 98030 0207.79
30–3412 96013 53026 4906.87
35–3912 98014 41027 3907.11
40–4413 49014 67028 1607.31
45–4913 63015 02028 6507.43
50–5411 97013 17025 1406.52
55–5910 67012 00022 6705.88
60–647 3708 90016 2704.22
65-694 8705 95010 8202.81
70-743 2004 0907 2901.89
75-792 0202 8904 9101.27
80+1 6602 8104 4701.16
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1445 00044 32089 32023.20
15–64129 730138 800268 53069.69
65+11 75015 74027 4907.13

Vital statistics

Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate Crude death rate Natural change Total fertility rateInfant mortality rate
193564,0002,0001,12187931.317.513.7
193666,0001,9021,05684628.816.012.8
193767,0002,0849141,17031.113.617.5
193867,0002,0201,09692430.116.413.8
193968,0002,0401,06697430.015.714.3
194070,0002,1851,0521,13331.215.016.2
194171,0002,3129201,39232.613.019.6
194272,0002,4091,0111,39833.514.019.4
194370,0002,5021,0431,45935.714.920.8
194469,0002,4851,1031,38236.016.020.0
194571,0002,1741,32684830.618.711.9
194673,0002,2081,0021,20630.213.716.5
194774,0002,4159871,42832.613.319.3
194876,0002,5391,0291,51033.413.519.9
194977,0002,6461,0521,59434.413.720.7
195079,0002,5321,1431,38932.114.517.6
195180,0002,7399631,77634.212.022.2
195281,0002,7149591,75533.511.821.7
195383,0003,0569032,15336.810.925.9
195486,0003,4108442,56639.79.829.8
195589,0002,8448571,98732.09.622.3
195692,0003,2908492,44135.89.226.5
195796,0003,1267642,36232.68.024.6
1958100,0003,0291,0951,93430.311.019.3
1959104,0003,1541,0002,15430.39.620.7
1960110,0003,3598052,55430.57.323.2
1961115,0003,7341,0242,71032.58.923.6
1962121,0003,4688212,64728.76.821.9
1963127,0004,5841,0303,55435.88.027.8
1964134,0004,8059873,81835.97.428.5
1965140,0004,4391,0983,34131.77.823.9
1966146,0004,5731,0673,50631.17.323.9
1967153,0004,2751,2123,06327.97.920.0
1968159,0004,2201,0233,19726.56.420.1
1969164,0004,3061,0973,20926.16.619.4
1970169,0004,2621,0543,20825.16.218.9
1971174,0005,3349484,38630.75.425.2
1972178,0004,7451,1153,63026.76.320.4
1973181,0004,4191,1093,31024.36.118.2
1974185,0004,3821,0323,35023.75.618.1
1975189,0004,0331,1062,92721.35.915.5
1976193,0005,2959764,31927.45.122.4
1977197,0004,8711,0673,80424.75.419.3
1978202,0004,3621,0773,28521.75.416.3
1979206,0004,8091,2113,59823.35.917.5
1980211,0005,0351,3383,69724.06.417.6
1981215,0005,2511,1274,12424.45.219.2
1982220,0005,2931,1854,10824.25.418.8
1983225,0005,2801,1044,17623.64.918.6
1984230,0005,1771,1504,02722.65.017.6
1985235,0005,5841,3414,24324.05.818.2
1986239,0004,7701,4073,36320.05.914.1
1987243,0004,3311,3762,95517.95.712.2
1988248,0004,9431,3193,62420.15.414.7
1989252,0004,9711,4593,51219.95.814.0
1990256,0006,1171,3434,77423.95.218.6
1991261,0006,1921,3354,85723.75.118.6
1992266,0006,7591,4625,29725.45.519.9
1993271,0006,6741,4935,18124.65.519.1
1994276,0006,1041,5384,56622.15.616.6
1995280,0006,2531,6384,61522.35.816.519.0
1996284,0005,9131,5374,37620.85.415.418.4
1997287,0006,0221,6704,35221.05.815.216.4
1998290,0005,8801,8004,08020.36.214.114.0
1999293,0005,3671,6443,72318.35.612.715.8
2000298,0005,2871,8253,46217.86.111.614.8
2001303,0005,3531,6093,74417.75.312.412.7
2002309,0005,2161,8273,38916.95.911.016.7
2003316,0005,0541,7303,32416.05.510.517.2
2004322,0005,1541,6553,49916.15.111.017.3
2005328,3205,5481,8243,72417.15.611.52.0519.6
2006333,0605,2961,7303,56616.05.210.81.9318.1
2007337,9205,8541,7984,05617.55.412.12.1417.6
2008342,8305,4801,8633,61716.25.510.72.0017.9
2009347,7805,3481,9813,36715.65.79.92.0321.1
2010351,4615,0492,0233,02614.45.88.61.9419.8
2011357,7505,0002,1272,87314.05.98.11.6916.2
2012362,5904,3451,9372,40812.05.36.71.7619.1
2013367,4303,9352,0621,87310.75.65.11.7322.7
2014372,3804,1552,1322,02311.35.85.51.6919.4
2015373,6304,2532,2432,01011.56.15.41.5720.6
2016378,0404,0932,2881,80511.06.14.91.5016.0
2017382,4604,0172,3721,64510.76.34.41.42
2018386,8704,2862,49111.26.4
2019391,2604,2212,63911.06.7
2020395,6404,3163,01611.17.6
2021400,0003,6183,6499.29.1
20223,3008.3

Life expectancy at birth

male: 73.2 years
female: 79.14 years
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195560.01985–199070.2
1955–196062.01990–199571.1
1960–196563.71995–200071.7
1965–197065.22000–200573.2
1970–197566.62005–201074.3
1975–198067.92010–201575.1
1980–198569.1

Source: ''UN World Population Prospects''

Ethnic groups

African descent 90.6%, White 4.7%, mixed 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7%
note: data represents population by racial group

Languages

English, Bahamian dialect.

Religion

Protestant 69.9%, Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13%, other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6%